Author Question: The patient is diagnosed with suspected bacteremia . The physician has ordered blood cultures from ... (Read 93 times)

danielfitts88 · **on:** Jun 25, 2018

The patient is diagnosed with suspected bacteremia . The physician has ordered blood cultures from two different sites. The patient is complaining of chills and has an elevated temperature.

What action should the nurse take in the presence of these symptoms?
a. Delay drawing the blood cultures until symptoms subside.
b. Draw blood from only one site to prevent further discomfort.
c. Draw the blood cultures as ordered.
d. Draw blood from the patient's intravenous (IV) catheter.

Question 2

An appropriate technique for the nurse to implement when obtaining throat cultures is to:

a. have the patient lie flat in the bed.
b. do the culture before meals or an hour after meals.
c. avoid touching the swab to any of the inflamed areas.
d. place pressure on the tongue blade along the back of the tongue.

Ashley I · **Reply #1 on:** Jun 25, 2018

Answer to Question 1

C
Because bacteremia may be accompanied by fever and chills, blood cultures should be drawn when the patient is experiencing these clinical signs. It is important that at least two culture specimens be drawn from two different sites. Bacteremia exists when both cultures grow the infectious agent. Because blood culture specimens obtained from an IV catheter are frequently contaminated, tests that use them should not be performed unless catheter sepsis is suspected.

Answer to Question 2

B
Plan to do the culture before mealtime or at least 1 hour after eating. This procedure often induces gagging; timing will decrease the patient's chances of vomiting. Ask the patient to sit erect in bed or on a chair facing the nurse. Gently but quickly swab the tonsillar area from side to side, making contact with inflamed or purulent sites. Depress the anterior third of the tongue only; placement of a tongue blade along the back of the tongue is more likely to initiate a gag reflex.