ARE ROUTINE BLOOD CULTURES EFFECTIVE IN THE EVALUATION OF PATIENTS CLINICALLY DIAGNOSED TO HAVE NOSOCOMIAL PNEUMONIA

Blood cultures are a routine part of the evaluation of patients with c linically diagnosed nosocomial pneumonia; however, their utility has n ot been proven. We performed a retrospective chart review of 77 consec utive trauma patients diagnosed clinically to have nosocomial pneumoni a at our level 1 trauma intensive care unit. Routine blood cultures di d not alter the therapy of patients clinically diagnosed to have nosoc omial pneumonia. We found the incidence of gram negative pneumonia was 71.4 per cent (55/77 patients) and gram positive pneumonia was 40.3 p er cent (31/77 patients). Routine blood cultures taken at the time of diagnosis of nosocomial pneumonia fail to alter therapy.