Wound Care and Infection Management

Questions and Answers

If they meet certain criteria or come into contact with another patient who has it

By rolling the swab in the beginning of both sides of the nose

To help the swab collect a sample

Visible stool Signup and view all the answers

Because the patient is already taking MRSA or VRE medications Signup and view all the answers

To ensure the swab is matched with the correct patient Signup and view all the answers

To identify the organism present in the wound and guide medication administration Signup and view all the answers

To prevent contamination of the specimen with skin flora or bacteria Signup and view all the answers

Rotate the tip of the swab over a 1cm x 1cm area of viable tissue in the center of the wound for at least 5 seconds Signup and view all the answers

To identify the organism causing the respiratory or sinus infection Signup and view all the answers

Nurses Signup and view all the answers

To ensure accurate culture results Signup and view all the answers

To provide information about the stage and activity of a disease process, and measure a patient's response to therapy Signup and view all the answers

By swabbing deeply into the body cavity and rotating gently Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

A wound specimen for culture and sensitivity (C&S) is necessary to identify the organism present in the wound and determine the appropriate medication.
A swab must be collected from fresh exudate and the wound should be cleansed with normal saline prior to collection to avoid contamination.
For aerobic culture, the swab should be rolled over a 1cm x 1cm area of viable tissue in the center of the wound for at least 5 seconds.
For anaerobic culture, the swab should be inserted deeply into the body cavity and rotated gently or inserted into the wound and aspirated 5-10mls of exudate.

Laboratory test results aid in diagnosis, provide information about the stage and activity of a disease process, and measure a patient's response to therapy.
Nurses are accountable for collecting specimens, monitoring patient outcomes, and ensuring timely sharing of test results with the interprofessional team.

Patients with symptoms of respiratory or sinus infection may require a nasal or throat swab for diagnostic purposes, which requires a physician's order.
Ideally, culture swabs should be collected before a patient begins taking antibiotics; if already taking antibiotics, the lab should be notified.

Patients may need to be swabbed for MRSA or VRE on admission if they meet criteria or if they come into contact with another patient who has it.
MRSA swab is taken from the nose, and VRE swab is taken from the rectum or from a stool sample.
The swab should be labeled with the patient's name and the specific location (e.g. "Nose/Nasal Swab" or "Stool or Rectal swab").