1956. Reduction in Endotracheal Aspirate Cultures after Implementation of a Diagnostic Stewardship Intervention in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Background Clinicians obtain endotracheal aspirate (ETA) cultures from mechanically ventilated patients in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) for the evaluation of ventilator-associated infection (i.e., tracheitis or pneumonia). Positive cultures prompt clinicians to treat with antibiotics even though ETA cultures cannot distinguish bacterial colonization from infection. We undertook a quality improvement initiative to standardize the use...