Authors

  1. Rushing, Jill RN, MSN

Article Content

YOU MAY OBTAIN A CULTURE SPECIMEN from an infected wound to identify the causative organism and help determine the most effective therapy. Use appropriate technique, usually the Z-stroke swab culturing technique shown here.

 

DO

 

* Review the health care provider's order for obtaining the wound culture.

 

* Gather supplies to clean the wound, obtain the specimen, and redress the wound.

 

* Provide privacy. Confirm the patient's identity and explain the procedure.

 

* Position and drape the patient.

 

* Perform hand hygiene and put on clean gloves. Remove the dressing, dispose of the gloves and dressing, and perform hand hygiene.

 

* Assess the wound and surrounding tissue.

 

* Arrange supplies on a sterile field. Put on clean gloves and thoroughly rinse the wound with sterile saline solution. Remove the gloves, perform hand hygiene, and put on clean gloves.

 

[black right pointing small triangle]To collect the specimen, swab the wound by gently rotating a sterile calcium alginate or rayon swab between your fingers. Swab the wound from margin to margin in a 10-point zigzag fashion. Use enough pressure to express fluid from within the wound tissue.

 

* Place the swab in the culture medium, label it according to your facility's policies and procedures, and send it to the lab as soon as possible.

 

* Redress the wound as ordered. Take off gloves and perform hand hygiene.

 

* Document the procedure, your assessment findings, and the patient's response.

 

 

DON'T

 

* Don't take a specimen from exudate or eschar.

 

* Don't use a cotton-tipped swab.

 

* Don't let the sterile swab touch your fingers or other objects.

 

RESOURCES

 

Baranoski S, Ayello EA. Wound Care Essentials: Practice Principles, 2nd edition. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2007.

 

Gardner SE, et al. Diagnostic validity of semiquantitative swab cultures. Wounds. 19(2):31-38, February 2007.

 

Hess CT. Clinical Guide: Wound Care, 5th edition. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2005.