What are the uses and precautions for nasal swabs?

I. Usage of Nasal Swabs

(I) Preparation

1. Item Preparation
   • Select an appropriate nasal swab, usually with a swab head made of materials such as polyester or nylon and a swab handle made of plastic. Also, prepare a virus preservation solution or other corresponding test reagent storage tube.
   • Wear personal protective equipment, such as medical masks, gloves, and protective clothing (in high – risk environments like infectious disease wards) to prevent cross – infection.
2. Patient Preparation
   • Instruct the person being sampled to keep their head slightly forward – tilted. This position makes it easier to insert the nasal swab. At the same time, inform the person that the sampling process may cause some discomfort, such as mild nasal irritation or the urge to sneeze, so that they are mentally prepared.

(II) Sampling Operation

1. Inserting the Nasal Swab
   • Hold the nasal swab and gently insert it into one nostril. The insertion depth is generally about 2 – 3 cm. For children, the insertion depth may need to be appropriately reduced, approximately 1 – 2 cm. Insert it parallel to the bottom of the nasal cavity to avoid excessive force that could damage the nasal mucosa.
2. Rotating and Wiping
   • Once the nasal swab reaches the appropriate depth, gently rotate the swab 3 – 5 times to ensure that the sample from the nasal mucosa is collected adequately. The rotation should be gentle and slow, allowing the swab head to come into contact with more of the mucosal surface to improve the quality of sample collection.
3. Removing the Nasal Swab
   • After rotation, slowly remove the nasal swab from the nasal cavity. Be careful not to touch the outside of the nose or other objects to prevent sample contamination.

(III) Sample Preservation and Transportation

1. Preserving the Sample
   • Immediately place the nasal swab into a storage tube containing the virus preservation solution or the corresponding test reagent. Ensure that the swab head is completely immersed in the preservation solution, which can maintain the activity and integrity of the sample for subsequent testing.
2. Transporting the Sample
   • If the sample needs to be transported to a laboratory for testing, place the storage tube in a special sample transport box and maintain the appropriate temperature conditions according to the testing requirements. For example, for some virus – testing samples, transportation in a low – temperature environment may be required to prevent sample deterioration.

II. Precautions for Using Nasal Swabs

(I) Before Sampling

1. Inspecting Items
   • Carefully check whether the packaging of the nasal swab is intact, without any damage or expiration. If there is a problem with the swab packaging, it may lead to swab contamination and affect the sampling results. At the same time, check whether the preservation solution in the storage tube is sufficient, clear, and free of precipitation or discoloration.
2. Understanding the Patient’s Condition
   • Ask the person being sampled about their history of nasal diseases, such as nasal bleeding, nasal polyps, sinusitis, etc. For patients with nasal diseases, be more cautious during sampling to avoid exacerbating the condition or causing complications such as bleeding. Also, find out if the person being sampled is allergic to the materials of the nasal swab, such as polyester.

(II) During Sampling

1. Standard Operation and Patient Comfort
   • Sampling personnel should perform the sampling strictly in accordance with the standard operation procedures and avoid rough actions. During the insertion of the nasal swab, if the person being sampled experiences obvious pain or excessive resistance, do not force the insertion. Instead, adjust the angle slightly or withdraw and re – insert. At the same time, pay close attention to the person’s reaction. If they sneeze, pause the operation and resume after the person calms down.
2. Preventing Contamination
   • Ensure that the entire sampling process is carried out in a relatively clean environment. The sampling personnel’s hands should not touch the swab head, and during the insertion and removal of the nasal swab, avoid the swab coming into contact with the outside of the nose, the sampling table, or other objects to prevent the sample from being contaminated by external bacteria, viruses, etc.

(III) After Sampling

1. Sample Handling
   • Properly label the storage tube, indicating the name, gender, age, sampling date, sampling location, etc. of the person being sampled to ensure the traceability of the sample. Test the sample in a timely manner. If immediate testing is not possible, store the sample according to the correct preservation method to prevent sample failure.
2. Medical Waste Disposal
   • Dispose of the used nasal swab and gloves as medical waste. Place them in a special medical waste collection container and handle them according to the regulations for medical waste management to prevent cross – infection and environmental pollution.