Specimen Requirement

Nasopharyngeal swab:

1. Remove excess excretions from anterior nares.

2. Incline the patient’s head back.

3. Gently insert the mini-tip flexible flocked swab straight back. Keep the swab near the septum floor of the nose while gently pushing the swab into the posterior nasopharynx until resistance is felt.

4. Rotate the swab 2-3 times and hold in place for 5 seconds and remove from nostril carefully.

5. Place swab in the tube of universal transport media.

6. Label the tube with 2 patient identifiers, specimen source, time and date of collection, and collector initials.

Nasopharyngeal swab specimen collection posters are available upon request from the Microbiology Lab.