Specimen Collection

Question 1

Factors that affect accuracy of specimens

Answer 1

1. Specimen contamination
2. Delay in sending specimen in laboratory
3. Obtaining specimen with inappropriate container or culture media
4. Incorrectly identified or mislabeled specimens
5. No identification of source of specimen
6. Not reporting any antibiotics or other medications that patient is taking that patient is taking that may impact specimen analysis

Question 2

Where can cultures be obtained using a sterile swab?

Answer 2

1. Throat
2. Wound
3. Body cavity/fluid
4. Fistula
5. Rectal
6. Vaginal

Question 3

Indications for wound/fistula culture

Answer 3

1. Identification of organism and potentially infectious agent of wound drainage
2. Determine appropriate treatments and interventions based on culture results

Question 4

Indications for sputum culture

Answer 4

1. Bacterial, viral, fungal infections and acid-fast bacillus for mycobacterium tuberculosis

Question 5

Indications for body cavity/fluid culture

Answer 5

Signs and symptoms of inflammation and infection

Question 6

Indications for stool culture

Answer 6

1. Bacterial, fungal, parasitic infections, ova and parasites.
2. C. diff

Question 7

Indications for urine/urinalysis culture

Answer 7

1. Presence of urinary tract infection
2. Check for kidney and endocrine function, urine pH, color, specific gravity, ketones, protein, glucose, red blood cells, white blood cells

Question 8

Indications for throat culture

Answer 8

Presence of strep throat

Question 9

Common organism found in throat cultures

Answer 9

Strep

Question 10

Common organisms found in wound cultures

Answer 10

Staph, strep, pseudomonas (usually from poor technique in dressing change), klebsiella

Question 11

Common organisms found in rectal cultures

Answer 11

Vancomycin, resistant enterococcus, c-diff

Question 12

Common organism found in vaginal cultures

Answer 12

Chlamydia

Question 13

Common organism found in nose/skin cultures

Answer 13

MRSA

Question 14

Procedure for obtaining a throat culture

Answer 14

Have patient say “Ahh” and swab back of throat with sterile cotton swab from culturette packaging

Question 15

Procedure for obtaining a wound culture

Answer 15

1. Use sterile swab in drainage of wound or in the center of wound
2. Do not swab the outer edge or crusts near skin
3. Can cleanse with normal saline
4. Redress per orders

Question 16

Procedure for obtaining mid-stream urine collection

Answer 16

1. Have patient wash hands
2. Open three towelettes
3. Open sterile container, place lid with inner side up. Do not touch rim of cup.
4. Cleanse each side of labia from front to back (women) or swiping motion away from meatus (men) using separate towel for each side holding labia open
5. Cleanse down middle with 3rd (women) or from meatus out (men)
6. Void a little urine into toilet
7. Continue to urinate into cup. Women should keep labia pulled apart as they void
8. Place lid on urine without touching inside cup or lid

Question 17

Indication for 24-hour urine collection

Answer 17

Check for total protein and creatinine clearance