How to collect a nasopharyngeal swab
Other platforms explain it with text and video. In VMS you practice it on the patient.
The most common mistake with a nasopharyngeal swab is aiming up. The nose goes straight back, along the floor.
Step by step
Protect yourself
Clean your hands and put on gloves, gown, a respirator or mask and eye protection as required for the suspected infection. [1]
Prepare the patient
Introduce yourself, confirm two identifiers, explain it will be uncomfortable but short, and get consent. [2]
Position
Head tilted back slightly, supported against a wall or headrest. [2]
Insert
Swab parallel to the roof of the mouth, straight back along the floor of the nose, until you feel resistance (about half the distance from the nostril to the ear). [2]
Collect
Rotate gently and leave it a few seconds to absorb, then remove slowly. [2]
Package and label
Into the tube, break the shaft, cap tightly, label in front of the patient. [2]
Remove PPE
Take off PPE in the right order and clean your hands. [1]
Common errors
- Aiming the swab up toward the eyes.
- Not going deep enough.
- Labeling away from the patient.
Practice it in VMS
In VMS you do this on the patient, not on paper: every step goes on the checklist with a score, and in Teach mode Blocky tells you what comes next.
VMS cases that train this skill
Sources
- CDC, Guideline for Isolation Precautions (2007) and PPE sequence
- Open RN, Nursing Skills 2e (Chippewa Valley Technical College) (CC BY 4.0)
Steps adapted from Open RN, Nursing Skills 2e (Chippewa Valley Technical College), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Facts and steps also follow CDC, Guideline for Isolation Precautions (2007) and PPE sequence. VMS is not affiliated with these organizations. Updated: 2026-10-11.