Specimen Requirements

Collection Instructions:

1. Moisten swab with sterile saline.
2. Gently insert moistened swab approximately 1 inch into nasal passage toward back of nasal canal.
3. Gently rotate against nasal mucosa and remove swab (see Instructions for Collection Using Nasopharyngeal (green cap) ESwab below).
4. Label specimen with patient’s name, date of birth or hospital medical record number, specimen source, date and time of collection, and collector’s initials.

Note:  Contraindications to nasal culturing are epistaxis (nosebleed) and recent nasal surgery.

Instructions for Collection Using Nasopharyngeal (green cap) ESwab:

1. Open the ESwab peel pouch
2. Remove the FLOQSwab from the pouch
3. Collect the sample, making sure fingers are above the red molded breakpoint
4. Uncap the ESwab tube
5. Place the FLOQSwab in the ESwab tube
6. Break the FLOQSwab applicator shaft at the molded, color marked breakpoint, ensuring that fingers are always above the breakpoint
7. Recap the ESwab tube