Safety and Infection ControlQuestion 394 of 2368
The nurse is collecting a wound culture from a client's wound after irrigating it with saline. From which area should the swab be taken?
- The skin surrounding the wound where exudate has dried
- The pus that has collected at the wound edge
- The slough covering the middle of the wound
- A 1-cm area of viable tissue near the center of the wound
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Correct answer: A 1-cm area of viable tissue near the center of the wound
The culture must come from the cleanest viable tissue, never from pus, slough, eschar, necrotic tissue, or skin.
Source: Nursing Skills, 2nd edition (Open RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College, 2023), Wound Care: CHECKLIST FOR WOUND CULTURE. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Practice the topic "Safety and Infection Control"Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026