Swabbing for

COVID-19

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Intended Audience & Learning Outcomes

Intended Audience Learning Outcomes

By the end of this learning package, you should know how to:
All clinical staff
● Take and process a COVID-19 swab
● Manage testing specimens

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Topics

In this learning package, you will find:

Taking and processing COVID-19 swabs

Specimen management

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1. Taking and processing
COVID-19 swabs
Taking a COVID-19 swab

Specimens to be collected may include:

Swabs should be taken for the following
● Upper respiratory (nasopharyngeal
patients and/or oropharyngeal swabs)
• For patients presenting to Emergency Departments meeting
the criteria for testing for COVID-19. ● Serum (for later serological testing)
• For any current inpatient suspected as having COVID-19.
● Lower respiratory (sputum) in patients
with a productive cough and/or intubated.
Each site should clearly identify the pathology service that will
process the swabs, as well as how the swabs will be
transported.

Contact and droplet transmission based precautions PPE,

including P2 / N95 face mask (fit checked), must be used when
collecting upper or lower respiratory tract samples.

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Patients with symptoms
Collection of nasopharyngeal specimens in patients with symptoms
(e.g. fever and breathing difficulty, or productive cough) is more risky and
requires the following airborne precautions to be applied:

Airborne precuations P2/N95 mask and other PPE, following correct
donning, doffing and fit checking principles.
Ideally collect the specimen in a negatively pressured room, or alternatively
in a room with the door shut, not in an open area.
Nobody in the room except patient and the
person collecting the swab. This can be a
nurse, doctor or collection staff from the
pathology company. All must be trained in how
to effectively collect the specimen.

Leave the room and close the doors for 30 minutes on completion of the
procedure. If it is a current inpatient, they may remain in the room.
After 30 minutes, the room surfaces should be cleaned with disinfectant
wipes by a person wearing contact and droplet precautions PPE.
The following slides show examples of how to take and process COVID-19
swabs. It is important to seek this information from your relevant pathology
service.
When taking a swab, stand to the side of the
patient, rather than directly in front, to avoid
droplets from any cough or sneeze.
The patient will be wearing a mask. Minimise
the time the patient has the mask removed
during the swab.

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Swabbing Instructions

Specific instructions will vary,

depending on your pathology
provider. Please refer to their
instructions. Examples are on this
slide.

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2. Specimen
management
Specimen Management
Processing of specimens from a suspect or positive COVID 19 patient:
1. Label all specimen containers prior to entering
the room
2. With the assistance of a colleague, the patient
ID and specimen requirements are confirmed. Staff
member with PPE is at the bedside & colleague is
outside of the patient environment.
3. Specimens are placed within the containers
in the patient environment.
4. Patient details are again double checked with
what is recorded on the specimen container.
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5. Specimens are placed into pathology bag by the collecting nurse.
6. The specimen bag is then lowered into another pathology bag
which is being held by a colleague outside of the patient
environment.
All specimens must be double bagged upon collection.
7. The pathology form is placed in the pocket of the outer bag.
8. The specimen must be clearly labelled as high risk and pathology
must be contacted to arrange immediate collection. Alternatively
the specimen is immediately transported to the on site lab.
Each site will need to clarify with their pathology service to
identify any slight variances to the suggested guidelines above.
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Next steps
Following this learning module, you
should now understand:
● How to take and process a COVID-19 swab
● How to manage testing specimens
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Next steps
● Watch someone taking a swab
● Practise taking a swab.
● Commence taking swabs under
supervision.
● Speak with your Unit Manager/Team
Leader if you have any concerns or
would like further information.
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