How to take a wound swab.

Wound swabbing is a widespread practice undertaken by nurses and other healthcare professionals in various healthcare environments and involves collecting a sample from the wound surface using a sterile swab. The sample acquired from the wound swab is sent for laboratory analysis to assess the level of bioburden present in a wound and to guide treatment decisions. Before undertaking this procedure, the nurse should perform a structured wound assessment and use their clinical judgement to identify the presence of infection and determine if a wound swab is necessary.