Abstract

Blood culture is the most usefull test for the diagnosis of bacteremia and infectious diseases either it provides optimising the treatment to microorganism. For the treatment and management of bacteremia in child patient’s group, it is obligated to be more carefull. Therefore, blood culture is used more often in child patients group. Although, collecting blood culture without indication results cost increase due to unnecessary testing and treatments. This study is performed by investigating the results of blood cultures obtained from the patients that are hospitalized at Dışkapı Children’s Hospital in 2007 and 2008. The practitioners have been educated for blood culture obtaining techniques and indications. Number of blood culture testing and changes in indications are analysed at all departments seperately and also whole of the hospital. Blood culture collecting rates were 26.2% before and 21.9% after educations. After educations, despite increase for bacteremia related reasons, collecting blood cultures for bacteremia unrelated reasons such as indirect hyperbilirubinemia, acute bronchiolitis, acute gastroenteritis, routine procedure was decreased. After educations, number of blood culture testing was decreased. It is also observed that blood cultures are more often obtained with indication. Rate of collecting blood culture due to bacteremia independent reasons was decreased. It’s seen that routine blood culture collecting is not less and could not be eliminated completely with educations. This study emphasizes the need of routine education programs about blood cultures for medical and financial gains.

Key words: Blood culture, indications, education