Question

QUESTION THREE

Mrs. Jane Amoah is a known patient at Hospital X in the Greater Accra Region as she regularly comes for wound dressing for the past four months. Even though the nurses at hospital X have employed various techniques to ensure that the wound of Mrs. Amoah heals, they seem not to get the desired results. The nurses have resolved to take a wound swab to help them in the management of Mrs. Amoah during her last visit. Use the information to answer the below questions.

A. State two reason why wound swabs are done. ​​​​

B. Describe how you will take the wound swab in the above case scenario.   

C. List four vital information that you will put on the label of the wound swab prior to sending it to the laboratory for the analysis.

Answer 1

Answer A: swabs need to be taken because

1. As the patient has been visiting the clinic for a long time there is a possibility of nosocomial infection. Swabs will help to identify the organism.
2. Swabs will also help to take decision regard change in antibiotics
3. Swab will help to rule out infectious causes of non healing wound. Other etiologies can be explored.

Answer B:

The following steps should be followed :

1. The dressing should be removed.
2. The wound should be cleaned.
3. Cleaning the wound will help remove dried up exudates, dressing residues, cellular debris.
4. Use normal saline to clean the wound.
5. With the help of sterile guage dab the wound dry.
6. Remove and discard the glove used for cleaning the wound
7. Wear another pair of gloves.
8. Don't allow the swab to touch purulent material, necrotic debris or eschar.
9. The swab tip should first dipped in normal saline if it is dry.
10. The swab should only touch the wound.
11. Press the swab on the wound and in zigzag fashion collect the swab. Or swab can be rolled on the wound in an area of 1 cm
12. Avoid touching the edge of the wound.
13. Take multiple swabs if the wound in large.
14. In case of large wound, take first should should be from the centre and other swabs should be from the periphery of the wound.
15. Place the swab in its container. Take care not to touch edges of the container while inserting the swab.
16. Correctly label the swab before transferring the swab to the lab.

Answer C

Following information should be mentioned on the swab:

1. Name
2. Age and gender
3. Specimen source
4. Date and time of collection
5. A brief history of the patient should also be sent along with the swab.