When wounds get infected, taking a wound swab is often the next thing to follow. Although there are no specific steps in taking it, it is very important to prevent making faulty practices. Here are some things that you definitely should avoid doing.
Before taking a wound swab:
- Get rid of all the dirty dressing, slough, and other contaminating materials.
- Gently remove it with the use of the saline solution.
- Don’t leave out any residue to prevent the infection from advancing. If you have dry wounds, moisten the swab with a sterile saline solution first.
The reason for this is because when you use a dry one, you are less likely to collect any organism using it.
Swab only on one area. Make sure that it only comes into contact with the surface of the wound. In drawing a swab, use a zigzag motion and if the wound is large, take a swab of at least 1cm2 of the area. If possible, apply downward pressure gently. You need to know that different organisms in the different spots on the wound may produce a reaction when they interact with each other. There are also cases where multiple treatments are necessary when treating two different infections.
After collecting the swab, return it to the container and have it labeled. Complete the paperwork as soon as the procedure is done. This step is very important because you will be able to remember more things about the wound, like its temperature and discoloration.
