why no tylenol before blood cultures drawn?

annmariern · Mar 28, 2009

Interesting post, learned something new re the spike in temp after the bursts of bacteria, while we are on the subject a pet peeve of mine. What is is with nurses giving tylenol at the slightest fever? I mean, asymptomatic pt, 99.8 give tylenol. Isn't it a defense response, basic and useful especially in getting a true picture of whats going on clinically? Why surpress it? Yes, its easier than calling docs, and getting a ton of new orders, but when the pt eventually goes septic, much worse. I took care of a pt once who had regulary temps of 105 degrees; apart from being a lovely shade of red, he felt fine, multiple cultures of everything, nothing. Turned out to be a weird reaction to IV Flagyl.

annmariern · Mar 28, 2009

Honestly people... It has nothing to do with the CULTURING of the BLOOD.. It is is NOT an ANTIBIOTIC.. Going back to basic, ACETAMINOPHEN (TYLENOL) is a PAIN RELIEVER AND A FEVER REDUCER... If we look closer, it is not given to patient with kidney or liver disease or who are alcoholic.
What are the possible complication or SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS under this medication?
Allergic reaction
Liver Damage (yellowing of the skin or eyes, nausea, abdominal pain or discomfort, unusual bleeding or bruising, severe fatigue);
Blood problems (easy or unusual bleeding or bruising)..
Thus in conclusion, It has something to do with the PROCEDURE ITSELF..
Drawing of Blood can lead to Blood related Problems.. I think it is much logical to say than to relate it with the CULTURE..

OK; I would guess most of us reading this know what tylenol is for, what the side effects are, what liver damage involves, thanks for the refreshers; But seems from prior posts, it does affect when the culture is drawn, how promptly sepsis is identified and treated. Therefore it does matter.

Ronigrrl · Jan 2, 2010

Thanks Annmarie! My intelligence was a bit offended there too, lol. As far as the renal impairment mentioned, Tylenol has no effect on that unless it is hepatorenal. Ibuprofen is what you need to avoid in the setting of CRI/CRF/ARF.

firstyearstudent · Jan 2, 2010

I've never heard of holding Tylenol. We don't do this on our unit. We also don't "hold" antibiotics. We do the blood culture before giving antibiotics but, if for some reason we couldn't do a timely blood culture, we'd still give the antibiotics. Our policy is to start antibiotics within an hour of temp/suspected infection.

RhiaRN75, RN · Jan 2, 2010

Thanks for the info on bacteria and 'bursts'! I also worked at a facility that held tylenol before BC's, and I never really got a good answer to the question. Ironically, ASA or ibuprofen was never listed as meds to hold.

I always assumed that when a fever is higher, there could possibly be less microbial activity. If a fever is the body's way of fighting infection, how can lowering the fever result in a less germs? Your explaination about timing makes it all a bit more logical.

I really hadn't thought about it in years.