Telephoning of interim blood culture results: a regional survey

• Published in: Journal of clinical pathology Vol. 61; no. 10; pp. 1142 - 1143
• Main Authors: Petkar, H M, Breathnach, A S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Association of Clinical Pathologists 01.10.2008; BMJ; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: Antibiotics; Bacterial Typing Techniques; Biological and medical sciences; Clinical outcomes; Communication; Data Collection - methods; England; Humans; Interviews; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Laboratories; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Pathology. Cytology. Biochemistry. Spectrometry. Miscellaneous investigative techniques; Patients; Practice Patterns, Physicians; Staphylococcal Infections - diagnosis; Staphylococcus - isolation & purification; Telephone; England; Anatomic pathology; Survey; Regional; Surveillance; Blood culture

Aims:Most staphylococci grown from blood cultures are contaminants. Since they are microscopically indistinguishable from non-contaminants, considerable time and resources may be spent following up all patients with positive blood cultures before the identification is made the following day. Since t...