Question

When swabbing an incision, you would start:

a) At the incision site
b) 1 inch away from the incision
c) 2 inches away from the incision
d) From the center of the incision outward

Answer 1

The correct way to swab an incision is to start from the center and move outward, using aseptic techniques to avoid infection and ensure accurate sampling for microbial growth testing on an agar plate.

Step-by-step explanation:

When swabbing an incision, the correct technique is to start from the center of the incision and move outward. This method helps to minimize the risk of introducing bacteria from the surrounding skin into the incision site. It is crucial to use aseptic techniques to avoid infection. To ensure accuracy in sampling, you would rub the wet swab back and forth firmly over the area you are testing. When applying the sample to an agar plate, such as a TSA agar plate, the swab should be spread over approximately a third of the surface to provide a representative sample for microbial growth observation.