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  • Assessing the impact of introducing a satellite blood culture incubator within a tertiary neonatal unit on length of hospital stay

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Assessing the impact of introducing a satellite blood culture incubator within a tertiary neonatal unit on length of hospital stay
  1. Yinru Lim,
  2. Shirin Beebeejaun,
  3. Alleyna Claxton,
  4. Paul Fleming,
  5. Ravi Prakash
  1. Neonatology, Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
  1. Correspondence to Dr Yinru Lim, Neonatology, Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London N18 1QX, UK; yinrulim85{at}gmail.com

https://doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2019-317773

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    Timely recognition and treatment of early-onset neonatal sepsis (EONS) reduces mortality and morbidity. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends early initiation of antibiotics in babies with suspected EONS based on a framework of risk factors and clinical indicators. For babies commenced on treatment, clinicians may consider stopping antibiotics in clinically well babies if blood cultures (BCs) at 36 hours are negative and C-reactive protein levels are reassuring (<10 mg/L).1

    Non-availability of BC results at 36 hours may prolong hospital stay in clinically well babies who are receiving antibiotics. Barriers to obtaining results at 36 hours include delayed transportation of samples to the laboratory (due to variable collection times and availability of porters transporting samples) and …

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors design: YL, SB, RP. Data Collection: YL, SB. Data Analysis: YL and SB. Study support and intellectual input: RP and AC. Drafting of the maunscript: YL. Revision of the manuscript: RP, AC and PF. Approval of the final version of the manuscript: all authors.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Patient consent for publication Not required.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; internally peer reviewed.