Table of Contents
Introduction
- Wash hands
- Introduce self
- Ask Patient’s name and DOB
- Explain procedure and obtain consent
Gather equipment
Equipment list
- Swabs – CHECK EXPIRY
- Blue = bacterial
- Green = viral
- NB: colours may vary between hospitals.
- Sterile saline (to moisten swab if swabbing dry area, e.g. nose, skin)
- Tongue depressor and torch (if taking throat swab)
- Clean tray and place swab inside in partially open packet
- Put on gloves and apron (and surgical mask depending on patient’s isolation status)
Performing the swabs
Throat swab
- Patient should sit with their head tilted backwards with light shining into their open mouth
- Ask the patient to protrude their tongue, while you depress it with a tongue depressor if required to visualise tonsils
- Quickly but lightly rub the swab over both tonsils and the posterior pharyngeal wall
NB: warn the patient they may gag during the procedure. Viral nose and throat swabs are usually combined; in this case, collect the throat swab first, then use the same swab to take the nasal sample. Some kits have two swabs which go in the same container – a thin one for the nose and a thick one for the throat.
Nasal swab
- Wipe the nose if excess secretions are present
- Gently insert a swab horizontally into one of the patient’s nostrils by 2-5cm until you feel resistance, aiming posteriorly along the floor of the nasal cavity
- Gently rotate the swab for 5 seconds
Ear swab
- Place swab in outer ear
- Rotate to collect secretions
Wound/skin swab
- Expose site
- Moisten end of a swab with sterile saline if the area is dry
- Roll the swab along moist or purulent area
MRSA screening swabs
- Nasal: insert a moistened swab vertically into the anterior nare (approximately 2cm) and rotate swab against anterior nasal mucosa for 5 seconds (repeat on the other nostril using the same swab)
- Groin: gently roll a moistened swab back and forth against skin on both sides of groin
To complete
- Place swab into container without touching anything else (some kits may require you to snap the swab in half; some may require you to rub the swab on the collection tube wall and then discard it)
- Close the container
- Thank patient
- Discard waste and clean tray; then discard gloves and apron; wash hands
- Fill in the samples and request form details
- Name, DOB, hospital/clinic number, address, GP name and address
- Specimen site
- Clinical details
- Send to lab
- Document in patient’s notes
Learn how to interpret the results too…
We have notes on bacteria which may grow in swabs and antibiotics
