1. Remove old dressings and necrotic tissues remaining on the wound All dressings, gauze and other materials should be removed prior to wound secretion culture swab collection. Any dried exudate or necrotic tissue should also be gently removed from the wound with warm saline. Although some clinicians believe that leaving some residue at the wound increases the chances of recovery of the infected organism, it also increases the likelihood of infection in the patient.
2. Dry swabs on dry wounds Samples from dry wounds should always be extracted with a swab dipped in a sterile saline solution. When using a dry swab, the chances of collecting any organisms are very small.
3, when only wiping an area for sampling, it is important that the swab thoroughly depicts the wound and usually requires a ten-point collection method. Different organisms located in different parts of the wound may interact to produce a reaction in the patient, or the patient may have two different infections that require multiple treatments.
4. Completing the paperwork a few hours after the procedure is completed Completing all documentation immediately after taking the swab is critical. You will be more likely to remember certain things about the wound (discoloration, temperature) as well as the patient (temperament, any other symptoms), and these can better inform the test.
