Contamination of blood cultures by switch-needle and nonswitch-needle techniques in a paediatric ward

To compare the contamination rates of blood culture between the conventional switching to a sterile needle before inoculation of blood culture bottles and the nonswitch-needle technique, we conducted a prospective crossover study in a pediatric infectious disease ward at Lampang Hospital, Thailand from November 1991 to December 1992. The total number of blood cultures was 764 in which 358 were in the switch-needle group and 406 in the nonswitch-needle group. The rates of contamination were almost identical among the two groups (6.15% v.s. 6.16%). It is concluded that careful skin preparation and good handwashing practices of the phlebotomists and assistant are more important factors than switching needles in reducing contamination during collection of blood for culture. Switching needle technique should be discontinued to reduce the risk of needlestick injury and the cost of blood culture.