Recently, in clinical work, the need for nasopharyngeal swab collection and testing has increased significantly.
Considering that nasopharyngeal swab collection is a common clinical operation, it is of great significance for the diagnosis of respiratory tract infection, and there are many influencing factors during the collection process. If the operation is not standardized, it will directly affect the detection results, and even lead to clinical missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis.And poor practice also increases the risk of exposure to infection by health care workers.
The author combined "How to collect Nasopharyngeal Swab Specimen" published in the New England Journal of Medicine and personal clinical experience to summarize the collection of nasopharyngeal swab, in the hope of being helpful to our clinical work.
Preparation and equipment
A nasopharyngeal swab is a special long, flexible handle made of plastic or metal with a tip made of polyester, rayon, or flocked nylon.
Make sure all sample tubes are labeled before operation and fill in the appropriate application form before operation.
When performing specimen collection related to novel Coronavirus, follow the respiratory and contact precautions as specified by the relevant institution and wear ppe properly.
All patients undergoing novel Coronavirus testing should wear a mask.The collector should take appropriate personal protection as required.
Before specimen collection, ask the patient to remove the mask and blow his nose with a tissue to remove excess secretions in the nasal cavity.
Remove the swab from the package and tilt the patient's head slightly back so that the swab can more easily reach the nasopharynx through the nasal cavity.Ask client to close eyes to relieve minor discomfort during operation.
Gently insert the throat swab along the nasal septum until resistance indicates that the swab has reached the bottom of the nasopharynx.
Note that the pharyngeal swab should be inserted parallel to the upper palate. If there is resistance to the swab passing through the nasal passage, step back and try to re-enter at a different Angle.
The depth of the swab should be equal to the distance from the nostril to the outer opening of the ear.The CENTERS for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that swabs be placed a few seconds after they reach the bottom of the nasopharynx so that the top of the swab can absorb secretions, and then slowly removed as the swab rotates.
Processing samples
Open the sampling tube and insert the swab into the tube.Depending on the swab, some will require the swab to be broken from the groove, while others will require it to be placed in the original package.
