Logan Health – Whitefish (LHW) was recently awarded the Performance Improvement Network Award 2024 for reducing blood culture contamination rates.
Christina Hostetler and Linette David
The Montana Quality Program Performance Improvement Network (PIN) Awards represent the highest level of professional acknowledgment from the Montana Hospital Association’s (MHA) quality program and committee.
Drawing blood cultures is a necessary step in telling the story of a patient’s current state. Patients admitted to the Emergency Department need swift and accurate results thus efficient processes are crucial.
When the laboratory noticed a spike in blood culture contaminations from the emergency department causing delays in patient care, the two departments collaborated in search of a solution. Through communicating the processes used for draws, staff was able to identify possible causes of contamination.
A training program was developed and approved by the Logan Health – Whitefish’s Collaborative Council. LHW Emergency Nurse Linette David headed the program and oversaw the training in the emergency department.
Senior Clinical Lab Coordinator Christina Hostetler tracked contamination rates. After the training results dropped from being greater than 3% before the project to below 1% after.
“The biggest achievement was the collaboration and commitment to increase communication between departments and develop a Blood Culture Contamination program that worked for our team,” said Linette David, RN. “The ongoing conversations about proper collection technique remains in the forefront of everyone’s minds and practice.”