Specimen Requirements

Preparation of Patient and Collection of Blood

1. Draw blood at times indicated on order.

2. Apply tourniquet, palpate, and choose vein to be drawn by touching skin before it has been disinfected.

3. Loosen tourniquet and prepare site.
4. Cleanse skin over venipuncture site with Chlorascrub Swabstick, using an up and down motion. Cover an area of 3 inches to 4 inches in diameter. Do not palpate the prepared area after cleaning. Do not allow excess solution to pool on the skin, let it dry. (On children <2 months, using an up and down motion first prep the site with alcohol for 30 seconds. Let dry. Then using the same up and down motion prep the site with Povidone-Iodine swab for 30 seconds. Let dry.

5. Remove flip cap from the top of the BACTEC blood culture bottles, clean the top of the blood culture bottles with an alcohol swab, and allow it to dry. Bottles should remain in upright position during collection.

6. Reapply the tourniquet, perform venipuncture using a butterfly set up. Fill to the designated volume guides (approximately 10 mL) on the bottle. When filled, move the adaptor cap from the aerobic (blue) bottle to the anaerobic (yellow) culture bottle, and press down and complete blood collecton. 

7. When blood culture collection is complete if more blood tests are required, draw at this time.

8. When all blood specimen collection is completed, remove the needle from the patient, and activate safety device or adaptor by pushing forward with thumb.

9. Discard butterfly set with needlel attached in SHARPS container.

10. Mix blood and broth by inverting bottles 4 to 5 times.

11. Multiple blood specimens can be drawn with the same venipuncture providing the blood culture is taken first.

12. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), hospital identification number or date of birth, date and time of collection,source of specimen, and if anthrax testing is required.

13. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.

14. Causes for rejection:

A. Inadequately labeled specimen
B. Improper container

C. Insufficient specimen volume
Note: Specimen source is required.

Volume Requirements
Children have more bacteria circulating per mL than adults. Collect specimens using aerobic (blue-top) and anaerobic (yellow-top) BactT/ALERT blood culture bottles according to chart below.

Note: The yield of positive cultures is directly related to the amount of blood obtained, as proven by evidence-based medicine. Optimal volume will enhance results.

The laboratory must be notified if fastidious organisms such as Brucella or Francisella are suspected so that blood cultures can be held for 21 days.