09/26/2025
Collecting blood and other potential source cultures plays a critical role in sepsis care. This guides teams in pathogen identification and treatment decisions.
When? - As soon as possible - and before administration of antimicrobial
What? - Blood and other potential sources of infection
How? - Blood cultures - collect two sets from two sites at two different times; all cultures - follow proper aseptic technique and skin prep to avoid contamination
Why? - To help confirm sepsis diagnosis, prevent administration of unnecessary antimicrobials, optimize treatment methods, and more
Today we’re focusing on the “When” - timing is everything in sepsis care. Check out the visual to go more in depth.
Which part of culture collection do you see most often overlooked: When, What, How, or Why?