Wound Treatment Associate (WTA) Practice Exam

What is the correct procedure for obtaining a swab culture?

1. Swab necrotic tissue for accurate results

2. Flush with sterile saline and swab viable tissue

3. Moisten the swab with disinfectant before use

4. Swab the wound for 30 seconds to collect enough sample

The correct answer is: Flush with sterile saline and swab viable tissue

Obtaining a swab culture properly is crucial for accurate diagnostics and effective treatment. The correct procedure involves flushing the wound with sterile saline to remove any debris, exudate, or non-viable tissue, which can interfere with the culture results. Following this, it is essential to swab viable tissue that is free of contamination. This ensures that the culture accurately reflects the microbial flora responsible for the wound, providing valuable information for treatment decisions. Swabbing necrotic tissue would not yield accurate results, as it can harbor bacteria that do not contribute to the infection. Moistened swabs with disinfectants can inhibit the growth of organisms meant to be cultured, leading to unreliable results. Lastly, while adequate sampling is important, simply swabbing the wound for 30 seconds is not a guaranteed method for ensuring the collection of a viable sample, as the quality of the tissue being sampled plays a more significant role. Hence, flushing with saline and focusing on viable tissue is the best practice for obtaining an accurate swab culture.