Conducted a skills lab with intent to improve blood culture contamination rates.

1. Education intervention for blood
culture contamination
on 8 N
comparison to
7RW and 8S sister units
Melissa Powell MS, RN, NPD-BC

2. Blood culture collection without
contamination
• Contamination of blood cultures leads to positive
blood stream infection diagnosis or questionable
positive blood stream infection diagnosis.
Antibiotics and escalated care is started for all
patients testing positive for blood stream
infection.
• When patients have CVC, this is reported as
Central Line Acquired Blood Stream Infection and
has a cost of $23,000 per false diagnosis. It also
has a reimbursement effect if calculated into total
CLABSI infection rates.

3. Online module prior to lab with key
concepts, procedure steps and video.

4. Hands on skills lab
• Evaluation of skills lab with hands on (teacher
guided hands on) for “muscle memory” and
motor skill development.
– Train to Prevent
needle sticks
– Train to Prevent
contamination

5. Hands on skills lab

6. Teacher hands on guided
• Teacher hands on guided is the technique of teacher guided
hand movement. This method is an evidenced based
teaching technique to assist learners in developing skilled
finger and hand movements during procedures. It involves
preventing learners from incorrect movements.
• This is script of briefing learners prior to skill lab.
• “There may a moment when I may put my hands on your
hands to stop you. I am doing this to stop you from moving
your hands and fingers incorrectly. Don’t worry. I will
move your hand with you or help you reposition yourself to
learn it and repeat it correctly. This will help you develop a
correct “muscle memory” of how to do the procedure.”

7. 12/31/2012
11/30/2012
10/31/2012
9/30/2012
8/31/2012
7/31/2012
6/30/2012
5/31/2012
4/30/2012
3/31/2012
2/29/2012
1/31/2012
12/31/2011
11/30/2011
10/31/2011
9/30/2011
8/31/2011
7/31/2011
6/30/2011
5/31/2011
4/30/2011
3/31/2011
2/28/2011
1/31/2011
12/31/2010
11/30/2010
10/31/2010
9/30/2010
8/31/2010
7/31/2010
6/30/2010
5/31/2010
4/30/2010
3/31/2010
2/28/2010
1/31/2010
12/31/2009
11/30/2009
10/31/2009
9/30/2009
8/31/2009
7/31/2009
16.0%
14.0%
12.0%
10.0%
8.0%
6.0%
4.0%
2.0%
0.0%
8N
8S
7RW
Linear (8N)
Linear (8S)
Linear (7RW)