Question

CQI/TQM- CASE 4 Tool: PDCA PDCA Model image: Plan, Do Check, Act Image of phlebotomist drawing blood from patient. The microbiology manager has noticed a significant increase in contaminated blood cultures this month. Contamination occurs due to improper phlebotomy technique (i.e., not thoroughly cleaning the puncture site prior to specimen collection) allowing skin flora to enter the culture bottle. This can result in the patient being prescribed antibiotics that are not needed. Their hospital stay may also be extended in order to r/o sepsis. Blood cultures are collected by phlebotomists from the laboratory and by nurses on the floors. You are the Allied Health and Nursing Education Coordinator for the hospital. 1. Use the PDCA tool to develop a plan of action that will help decrease the number of contaminated cultures.

Answer 1

The following plan can be made to reduce the number of contaminated culture

Plan:

• Train the phlebotomist about the techniques and the right method of sample collection
• Regular and periodic screening in the skills and updating it
• Inculcate a protocol in the sample collection, so that nothing g is missed and the procedures are done on time with specificity and totally worth no contamination

Do

• Encourage the phlebotomist to perform as per the protocol
• Violation of the protocols can lead to disciplinary action because at the end it is the life of patient treated on the basis of lab reports given by a phlebotomist
• Seggerate the task and perform to avoid confusion and over work or exhaustion

Check

• Monitor it whether the protocols is followed by a phlebotomist during sample collection
• A supervisor or an incharge can do this and minimize the error

Act

• In case the results are found to the expectations then the same policy or protocol can be followed and improved
• In case if there is a failure in the plan replan after proper feedback and evaluation