Blood cultures should be dispatched to the laboratory for immediate processing. If cultures cannot be processed immediately, they should be incubated at 37°C in order for bacterial growth to begin and to prevent deterioration in pathogenic micro‐organism yield (Higgins [84]).

Decisions on commencing, changing or adding antimicrobial therapy may need to be considered depending upon the patient's condition and history. The increase in drug‐resistant micro‐organisms has highlighted the need for prudent control of antibiotic prescribing and usage. It is estimated that up to 40% of patients with moderate‐to‐severe infections are given antibiotics that are unnecessary or inappropriate to treat the pathogen that is subsequently cultured in vitro (Johannes [109]).

The possibility of false results should also be considered before commencing any therapy. A false negative may be due to disproportionate blood volume to culture medium, inadequate incubation time and/or antibiotic administration prior to taking the sample. If the results are positive, the possibility of contamination should be considered, especially if the bacterium is one that commonly causes contamination (Higgins [84]). Occasionally a blood culture will provide a positive result for Staphylococcus epidermidis, which is normally present on the skin and therefore can contaminate the sample due to poor technique (Higgins [84]). Decisions regarding appropriate choice of empirical therapy as well as the duration and dosage should be made in conjunction with advice from the microbiology team (Tacconelli [236]).