Specimen Collection: Nose and Throat
Specimens for Culture - CE
The nurse has just shown a new graduate nurse how to collect a throat specimen for
culture. Which action demonstrates that the graduate nurse understands the
instructions? - Answer Collecting the culture before a meal
Which is the correct way to place the swab into a commercially prepared culture tube? -
Answer Push the tip of the swab into the liquid medium at the bottom of the tube.
When acute epiglottitis is suspected in a patient, what should a nurse do? - Answer
Refrain from collecting a specimen for culture.
Which statement describes a difference between collecting a specimen for a nasal
culture and collecting a specimen for a nasopharyngeal culture? - Answer The
specimen for a nasopharyngeal culture is obtained with a swab on a flexible wire, and a
nasal swab does not contain a wire.
When obtaining a throat culture specimen, the nurse should swab which region of the
oral cavity? - Answer Tonsillar area
A patient comes into the emergency department complaining of nasopharyngeal
symptoms for 3 days. Which action should the health care team take next? - Answer
Collect an oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal specimen.
When using a tongue blade to permit exposure of the pharynx, where should the tongue
blade be placed? - Answer Anterior third of the tongue
During orientation, a new health care team member is taking a throat culture. Which
action indicates that the new team member understood the education? - Answer The
swab was inserted, moving it from side to side to swab the tonsillar area.
The nurse was unable to collect a nasopharyngeal specimen for culture with the swab.
Which other method can be used to collect the nasopharyngeal specimen? - Answer
Nasal wash method
Which technique is the correct way to collect a nasal specimen for culture? - Answer
Rotate the swab in the nostril.
Specimens for Culture - CE
The nurse has just shown a new graduate nurse how to collect a throat specimen for
culture. Which action demonstrates that the graduate nurse understands the
instructions? - Answer Collecting the culture before a meal
Which is the correct way to place the swab into a commercially prepared culture tube? -
Answer Push the tip of the swab into the liquid medium at the bottom of the tube.
When acute epiglottitis is suspected in a patient, what should a nurse do? - Answer
Refrain from collecting a specimen for culture.
Which statement describes a difference between collecting a specimen for a nasal
culture and collecting a specimen for a nasopharyngeal culture? - Answer The
specimen for a nasopharyngeal culture is obtained with a swab on a flexible wire, and a
nasal swab does not contain a wire.
When obtaining a throat culture specimen, the nurse should swab which region of the
oral cavity? - Answer Tonsillar area
A patient comes into the emergency department complaining of nasopharyngeal
symptoms for 3 days. Which action should the health care team take next? - Answer
Collect an oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal specimen.
When using a tongue blade to permit exposure of the pharynx, where should the tongue
blade be placed? - Answer Anterior third of the tongue
During orientation, a new health care team member is taking a throat culture. Which
action indicates that the new team member understood the education? - Answer The
swab was inserted, moving it from side to side to swab the tonsillar area.
The nurse was unable to collect a nasopharyngeal specimen for culture with the swab.
Which other method can be used to collect the nasopharyngeal specimen? - Answer
Nasal wash method
Which technique is the correct way to collect a nasal specimen for culture? - Answer
Rotate the swab in the nostril.
