Optimisation of the Blood Culture Pathway Utilising Behaviour Change

NCT07392684 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 24/043/GHT
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 24
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Blood culture (BC) is the gold standard for the definitive diagnosis of bacteraemia, providing the opportunity to recover and identify the causative organism, and optimize subsequent antimicrobial treatment. Detection of bacteraemia is critical for the management of sepsis. This study aims to examine the performance of the blood culture pathway in Gloucestershire Hospitals Trust using data analysis, questionnaires and focus groups. . Information collected will be used to design interventions that could be used to optimise the blood culture pathway

Conditions

Microbiology; Blood Culture

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Compliance to optimal blood culture (BC) vol (8-10 mls per bottle).

  Volume of blood cultures measured in ml.

  Retrospective data collection from period February 2023 to April 2024.

• Compliance to 4- hour time target to incubation of blood culture from collection.

  Time taken from collection of blood culture to incubation in the laboratory, recorded in hours and minutes

  Retrospective data collection from period February 2023 to April 2024

• Time from collection of blood cultures to targeted antibiotics, hours and minutes

  Measurement of time (hours, minutes) from time of blood culture collection to time of targeted antibiotic prescribing

  Retrospective data collection from period February 2023 to April 2024.

• Staff experiences related to taking blood cultures

  Staff experiences using questionnaires and focus group discussions exploring facilitators and barriers relating to blood culture collection . Staff members will participate by completing the questionnaire and/or attending focus groups.

  Approximately 10 minutes to complete electronic questionnaire. Attendance at single FOCUS group at agreed time.

Study Arms (1)

Staff members that collect adult blood cultures within the Trust

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Secondary data: adult blood culture sets received in the microbiology laboratory, between February 2023 and April 2024. Staff member participants: Staff members that collect adult blood cultures within the Trust

You may qualify if:

• Secondary data:
• \- adult blood culture sets received in the microbiology laboratory, between February 2023 and April 2024.
• Staff member participants
• \- Staff members that collect adult blood cultures within the Trust

You may not qualify if:

• Secondary data:
• paediatric blood culture samples
• samples where volume, collection and/or time to incubation data are not recorded on laboratory system and/or blood culture analyser

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: lead

Study Sites (1)

Gloucestershire Royal Hospital

Gloucester, Gloucestershire, GL1 3NN, United Kingdom

RECRUITING

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: OTHER
• Time Perspective: OTHER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 30, 2025
• First Posted: February 6, 2026
• Study Start: October 1, 2025
• Primary Completion: April 30, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): September 30, 2026
• Last Updated: February 6, 2026

Record last verified: 2025-09

Locations

GB (1)