Recommendations for Blood Culture Collection 

Confirm the patient’s identity and gather all required materials before beginning the collection process.

Do not use blood culture bottles beyond their expiration date, or bottles which show signs of damage, deterioration or contamination. It is recommended to identify the Fill-to Mark or mark the target fill level on the blood culture bottle label about 10 mL above the media level.

Wash hands with soap and water then dry, or apply an alcohol hand rub or another recognized effective hand rub solution. Remove the plastic “flip-cap” from the blood culture bottles and disinfect the septum using an appropriate and recognized effective disinfectant, including chlorhexidine in 70% isopropyl alcohol, tincture of iodine, povidone-iodine in swab or applicator form. Use a fresh swab/applicator for each bottle. Allow bottle tops to dry in order to fully disinfect.

Attach a winged blood collection set to a collection adapter cap*.

Place the adapter cap over the aerobic bottle and press straight down to pierce the septum. Hold the bottle upright, below the level of the draw site, and add up to 10 mL of blood per adult bottle and up to 4 mL per pediatric bottle.** Ensure the bottle is correctly filled to the Fill-to Mark or target fill level. Once the aerobic bottle has been inoculated, repeat the procedure for the anaerobic bottle.

Confirm the patient’s identity and gather all required materials before beginning the collection process. Do not use blood culture bottles beyond their expiration date, or bottles which show signs of damage, deterioration or contamination. It is recommended to identify the Fill-to Mark or mark the target fill level on the blood culture bottle label about 10 mL above the media level.

Wash hands with soap and water then dry, or apply an alcohol hand rub or another recognized effective hand rub solution. Remove the plastic “flip-cap” from the blood culture bottles and disinfect the septum using an appropriate and recognized effective disinfectant, including chlorhexidine in 70% isopropyl alcohol, tincture of iodine, povidone-iodine in swab or applicator form. Use a fresh swab/applicator for each bottle. Allow bottle tops to dry in order to fully disinfect.

If skin is visibly soiled, clean with soap and water. Apply a disposable tourniquet and palpate for a vein. Apply clean examination gloves (sterile gloves are not necessary). Cleanse the skin using an appropriate disinfectant, including chlorhexidine in 70% isopropyl alcohol, tincture of iodine, povidone-iodine in swab or applicator form. The venipuncture site is not fully clean until the disinfectant has fully evaporated.

Attach the needle to a syringe. To prevent contaminating the puncture site, do not re-palpate the prepared vein before inserting the needle. Insert the needle into the prepared vein.

Collect the sample. Transfer the blood into the culture bottles. Hold the bottle upright, and add up to 10 mL of blood per adult bottle and up to 4 mL per pediatric bottle. Ensure the bottle is correctly filled to the Fill-to Mark or target fill level.

Discard the winged collection set into a sharps container and cover the puncture site with an appropriate dressing. Remove gloves and wash hands before recording the procedure, including indication for culture, date, time, site of venipuncture, and any complications. Ensure that additional labels are placed in the space provided on the bottle label and do not cover the bottle barcodes, and that the tear-off barcode labels are not removed. If additional labels contain a barcode, they should be positioned in the same manner as the bottle barcode. Inoculated bottles should be transported to the laboratory for testing as quickly as possible, preferably within 2 hours per CLSI.¹ If delays are expected, it is important to refer to the manufacturer’s Instructions for Use for guidance.