Skill Checklists for Taylor's Clinical Nursing Skills: A Nursing Process Approach

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Copyright © 2011 by Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Skill Checklists for Taylor's Clinical Nursing Skills:

Skill Checklists for Taylor's Clinical Nursing Skills:

A Nursing Process Approach, 3rd edition

Name Date

Unit Position

Instructor/Evaluator: Position

SKILL 18-5

Obtaining a Nasopharyngeal Swab

Goal:An uncontaminated specimen is obtained without injury

to the patient and sent to the laboratory promptly. Comments

1. Bring necessary equipment to the bedside stand or overbed
   table. Check the expiration date on the swab package.


2. Perform hand hygiene and put on PPE, if indicated.


3. Identify the patient. Discuss with patient the need for a
   nasal swab. Explain to patient the process by which the
   specimen will be collected.


4. Check the specimen label with the patient’s identification
   bracelet. Label should include patient’s name and identifi-
   cation number, time specimen was collected, route of col-
   lection, identification of person obtaining the sample, and
   any other information required by agency policy.


5. Close curtains around bed or close the door to the room, if
   possible.


6. Put on nonsterile gloves.


7. Ask the patient to cough and then to tip his or her head
   back. Assist, as necessary.


8. Peel open the swab packaging to expose the swab and col-
   lection tube. Remove the cap from the collection tube and
   discard. Remove the swab from packaging by grasping the
   exposed end. Take care not to contaminate the swab by
   touching it to any other surface.


9. Ask the patient to open the mouth. Inspect the back of the
   patient’s throat using the tongue depressor.


10. Continue to observe the nasopharynx and insert the swab
    approximately 6 inches (adult) through one naris to the
    nasopharynx. Rotate the swab. Leave the swab in the
    nasopharynx for 15 to 30 seconds and remove. Take care
    not to touch the swab to the patient’s tongue or sides of
    the nostrils.


11. Insert the swab into the collection tube, taking care not to
    touch any other surface.


12. Dispose of used equipment per facility policy. Remove
    gloves. Perform hand hygiene.

ExcellentSatisfactoryNeeds Practice

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