Medical Assistant Training: Obtain Swabs for Culture

[zlonewolf1]

Using regular gloves to open sterile packages then touching sterile items with those gloves is contamination. Also she turned her back to her work area which also means contamination. 

[simtics]

@zlonewolf1 - Thanks for stopping by. This is a medical assisting procedure that would be performed in a phsycian's office. The work area for taking a swab is not sterile; therefore there is no need to worry about "contaminating" the area by turning your back to it. Also, there is no need for sterile gloves as the tip of the swab is not touched at all; just the small handle at the opposite end.

[ladyangel341]

as what they said..the wound have to cleanse if it is covered by dressing overnight... RATIONALE: the bacteria build up on the covered wound which you obtain if you don't cleanse the wound and not really the actual bacteria in the wound...maybe a fresh open wound would be an exception...

[SBGull88]

@dbrooks12009 If the wound is actually infected I don't think the order in which it is cleansed, and in which the specimen is taken would make much of a difference in the result. Personally, I think cleansing it before swabbing helps conclude that youre getting only the infection within the wound, and not just superficial debris that could mess with the lab tests.

[dbrooks12009]

There is such conflict over wether a wound should be cleansed with normal saline before swabbing it or wether the wound should not be cleased but just left alone before swabbing it, which would be culturing the exudate. Which is most accurate?