The document provides instructions for obtaining blood cultures from peripheral veins and central lines. It states that for peripheral draws, the blue bottle should be inoculated first using a winged butterfly needle. For central line draws, the purple bottle must be inoculated first. It recommends obtaining 8-10mL of blood per bottle and scrubbing the site for 30 seconds with chlorhexadine. The key points also indicate that culture bottles must be discarded if dropped and their septa cleaned with alcohol prior to inoculation.

1. Brandy Ballard BSN, RN; Jesika Sacomani RN;
Norman Swope BSN, RN, OCN

2. Gather supplies.
 Check procedure.
 Obtain butterfly needle.
 Obtain Multi-vial adapter.
 Obtain culture kit (comes with
tourniquet, chlorhexadine swab,
alcohol swabs, gauze and a band
aid.
 Check culture bottles.

3. Set up multi-vial adapter.

4. Prep culture bottles.
• Clean each bottle
with alcohol swab,
and leave swab in
place until ready to
instill blood.
• Clean 15-20 seconds.
• The caps are not
sterile.

5. Skin Preparation
Scrub venipuncture site with chlorhexadine 30 seconds. Allow to
dry, also 30 seconds.

6. Do not re-palpate site after prep to
avoid contamination.
BAD

7. Venipuncture
One needle, One stick = Zero Contaminated Cultures

8. Inoculation of cultures
• Obtain 8-10 mL
blood each
bottle, Blue first.
• Label site, date,
time initials
accordingly.
KEYPOINT: If drawing with
a winged butterfly set you
must inject the blue topped
Aerobic bottle first then the
purple topped Anaerobic
bottle. If drawing with a
syringe, either directly or
from a central line, then you
must inject the purple
topped Anaerobic tube first
then the blue topped
Aerobic tube last.
This is opposite
from CVL draws.
First Second

9. Brandy Ballard BSN, RN; Jesika Sacomani RN;
Norman Swope BSN, RN, OCN

10. If multiple blood tubes and blood cultures are required
from a peripheral stick which do you get first?
 A. blood tubes.
 B. the red blood culture bottle.
 C. the blue blood culture bottle.
 D. Makes no difference which you draw if done using
sterile technique.

11. When drawing blood cultures from a central or
arterial line which bottle do you inoculate first?
 A. the pink bottle.
 B. the blue bottle.
 C. It does not matter.

12. Before drawing blood cultures from a peripheral
IV you must first change the infusion caps?
 A. True
 B. False

13. How many ml’s of blood must be obtained
for each culture bottle?
 A. 5 ml
 B. 20 ml
 C. 10 ml
 D. Just enough to tint the water.

14. How long should you scrub the site before
drawing your specimen for blood cultures?
 A. 30 seconds
 B. 60 seconds
 C. 5 minutes
 D. You do not need to clean the site before drawing
cultures!

15. As you open the box that contains the culture
bottles you accidently drop one. Do you use it?
 A. Sure! Why not!
 B. No, it is now considered damaged, and a new
culture set must be obtained.
 C. If the bottle looks ok then it is fine to use.

16. To mix the blood in the bottle invert the
bottle 4-5 times.
 A. True
 B. False

17. Do you need to clean the septa of the
culture bottle before inoculating?
 A. Yes, because the septa is not sterile.
 B. No, because the septa is sterile.

18. How long should you wait before drawing
the second set of blood cultures?
 A. 1 hour
 B. 12 hours
 C. 5-30 mins.

19. When obtaining blood cultures from an immune-suppressed
patient do you waste any blood when drawing from a CVL?
 A. Yes
 B. No

20. Answer Key
 1. C 10. B
 2. A
 3. B
 4.C
 5. A
 6. B
 7. A
 8. A
 9. C