A provider orders a wound culture from an infected laceration. The medical assistant should collect the specimen by swabbing which area of the wound to obtain the most clinically meaningful sample?

A provider orders a wound culture from an

Multiple choice — select the best answer

AThe skin immediately surrounding the wound margin
BAny area of the wound that appears darkest in color
CThe center of the wound after removing surface debris and gently rotating the swab against viable tissue
DThe outer edges of the wound where dried exudate is most visible

✓ Correct answer: C. The center of the wound after removing surface debris and gently rotating the swab against viable tissue A wound culture is most accurate when collected from viable, clean wound tissue after removing surface debris, because surface exudate often contains colonizing organisms that do not reflect the true infectious pathogen.

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Topic: Medical Assistant (CCMA/RMA)

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A provider orders a wound culture from an infected laceration. The medical assistant should collect the specimen by swabbing which area of the wound to obtain the most clinically meaningful sample?

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