Information on UK Standards for Microbiology Investigations for blood cultures. Last updated: 6 July 2022 — See all updates fileslib. NICE guidelines recommends 4 hours from venipuncture to incubation within the laboratory. Blood culture incubators are only present on LGI site so it is What is blood culture protocol? A blood culture is a laboratory test in which blood, taken from the patient, is inoculated into bottles containing culture media to determine whether infection-causing microorganisms (bacteria or fungi) are present in the patient's bloodstream.
This policy provides staff with guidance on the actions they must take in order to minimise the risk of contamination of blood culture samples.
Blood cultures For adults it is recommended that 20–30 ml of blood is cultured per set , and that 2 consecutive blood culture sets from 2 separate venepuncture sites should be collected during any 24‑hour period for each septic episode.