title: Audit of wound swab sampling: why protocols could improve practice.
abstract: Many nurses carry out wound sampling using a surface swab, to establish infection levels and determine treatment. But reliability can be compromised by a number of factors. This paper examines reasons for sampling and its limitations. It describes how an audit of secondary and primary care nurses revealed wide variations in practice, and proposes protocols to improve care.
authors.affiliation: North Devon District Hospital, Barnstaple.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kingsley
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Winfield-Davies
mesh_terms: D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000451:nursing*; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods; D008828:Microbiological Techniques; D009731:Nursing Audit / Q000379:methods*; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000382:microbiology*; D013048:Specimen Handling; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000382:microbiology*