Sponsored Webinar: How One Hospital Reduced Blood Culture Contamination Rates in Everyday Practice

October 12, 2022

Webinar Description: 

Sponsored by Magnolia Medical Technologies

Blood cultures are the gold standard tests for the diagnosis of blood stream infections (BSI) and sepsis. However, false-positive results due to blood culture contamination can impact test accuracy, resulting in unnecessary and prolonged antibiotic treatments for patients and extended hospital stays.

Baylor Scott & White – Centennial, a community-based hospital located in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area, achieved a 94% reduction in blood culture contamination rates within 90 days by implementing a practice change that included the Steripath® Initial Specimen Diversion Device®. Join this sponsored webinar to learn more about Baylor Scott & White – Centennial’s success and how its experience with practice change and evidence-based technology supported diagnostic, antimicrobial, and financial stewardship.

Target Audience

Nurses, advanced practice providers, physicians, emergency responders, pharmacists, medical technologists, respiratory therapists, physical/occupational therapists, infection prevention specialists, data/quality specialists, and more. 

Sepsis Alliance gratefully acknowledges the support provided for this webinar by Magnolia Medical Technologies

Course summary
Course opens: 
09/07/2022
Course expires: 
12/31/2025
Event starts: 
10/12/2022 - 11:00am PDT
Event ends: 
10/12/2022 - 11:30am PDT
Add to calendar: 
Rating: 
5

Carleen Merola, DNP, RN, TCRN, PCCN

Critical Care Manager, Baylor Scott & White - Centennial

Carleen Merola, DNP, RN, TCRN, PCCN, is the Critical Care Manager at Baylor Scott & White – Centennial in Frisco, TX. Within her role, she oversees the emergency department, intensive care unit, cardiopulmonary department, cardiac cath lab, interventional radiology, and many other special projects. With over 14 years of nursing experience ranging from bedside clinician in the ED to educator to nurse leader, she has been involved with many project implementations. An avid attendee of the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) conference, Dr. Merola first found Steripath at ENA 2019 in Austin, TX. With a commitment to zero harm to the patients within her facility and an early adopter of new technology, she became the first user of Steripath with the Baylor Scott & White system in January of 2020. Her implementation led to a 94% decrease in blood culture contaminations within the ED and was later presented at ENA 2021. She continues to be an integral supporter of the Steripath device within her facility as well as within the Baylor Scott & White system.

No continuing education credits are offered for the Sponsor Innovation Webinar.

Medical Disclaimer

The information on or available through this site is intended for educational purposes only. Sepsis Alliance does not represent or guarantee that information on or available through this site is applicable to any specific patient’s care or treatment. The educational content on or available through this site does not constitute medical advice from a physician and is not to be used as a substitute for treatment or advice from a practicing physician or other healthcare provider. Sepsis Alliance recommends users consult their physician or healthcare provider regarding any questions about whether the information on or available through this site might apply to their individual treatment or care.

Please login or register to take this course.

To register for this webinar, please follow these steps:

  1. If you have a Sepsis Alliance Institute account, select Login. If you do not yet have an account, select Register to create your FREE account. 
  2. Select Take Course. Answer the additional registration questions, then select Take Course.
    • You will receive a confirmation email from the Sepsis Alliance Institute after registration as well as a Zoom confirmation email. These emails will include a calendar invitation to add to your email calendar.
  3. Click Start under the Webinar (Via Zoom) tab in the course outline to complete your registration. 
  4. When it is time to join the webinar, select Webinar (Via Zoom). Select Join the webinar. The Zoom window will pop up and you will see the webinar as you normally would. 
  5. After the webinar, come back to this activity to complete the Evaluation. You'll be able to download your certificate immediately after the webinar.

Please don't hesitate to reach out to us at info@sepsisinstitute.org with any questions.