Precautions for using nasopharyngeal swabs

1. Patients need to blow their nose first

The video asks the patient to clear nasal secretions, so blow their nose first. This can reduce the contamination and interference of nasal secretions and ensure the quality of the specimen.

2. The direction of swab entry needs to be parallel to the upper jaw

When performing the operation, the tip of the throat swab needs to be directed towards the earlobe, not the top of the head.

However, when the specimen is actually taken in clinical practice, many beginners point the top of the throat swab towards the top of the head. Since bacteria and viruses are mostly parasitic on the bottom of the nasopharynx, if the nasopharyngeal swab enters in the wrong direction, it is difficult to reach the bottom of the nasopharynx. , the positive rate will be significantly reduced.

3. The entry depth of the throat swab needs to reach the bottom of the nasopharynx

The entry depth of the throat swab is equivalent to the distance from the tip of the nose to the earlobe. If the top of the throat swab faces the top of the head in actual operation, the entry depth of the throat swab will be significantly insufficient.

4. No forced penetration

If the throat swab encounters resistance in the process of entering along the earlobe, it needs to adjust the direction and rotate slightly to enter instead of forcibly inserting it to avoid damage. Until you reach the bottom of the nasopharynx, there is a sense of resistance against the wall.

5. When the feeling of hitting the wall appears, the swab stays for a few seconds and rotates out

The feeling of hitting the wall indicates that the nasopharyngeal swab has reached the bottom of the nasopharynx. At this time, it is necessary to hold the nasopharyngeal swab at the bottom of the nasopharynx for 10 to 15 seconds, so that the swab can fully contact the secretions at the bottom of the nasopharynx and absorb more pathogens.

Of course, if you follow the video operation specification: the effect is better if you can rotate a few times during the stay, but because the child is difficult to cooperate when operating it, the swab is generally required to stay at the bottom of the nasopharynx for a few seconds without rotating, and then put the swab aside Rotate and pull out. This not only reduces the stimulation to the child, but also satisfies the effect of the material.

6. Aluminum metal swabs are safer for children

Since children are obviously not as cooperative as adults in operation, this aluminum metal swab is more flexible and will not break during operation, while plastic swabs are broken during operation and remain in the nasopharynx of children. Therefore, perhaps aluminum metal swabs are more suitable for pediatric patients.