Question 68

Take a deep breath and then expectorate.

When providing a sputum specimen, the patient should take a deep breath and then expectorate, which helps to ensure that the sample is from deep within the lungs and not just saliva.

A) Collect the stool directly into a sterile container.

This option is incorrect as it pertains to stool collection rather than sputum. Sputum specimens require a respiratory sample, not a stool sample, making this response irrelevant to the question.

B) Discard the first urine of the day and collect for 24 hr.

This choice is also incorrect because it refers to urine collection procedures, not sputum collection. Sputum specimens require expectoration from the lungs and do not involve urine at all.

C) Aggressively swab the inside of the cheek.

This option is incorrect as well, as swabbing the cheek does not collect sputum. Sputum sampling specifically requires the patient's effort to expel mucus from the lungs rather than a surface swab of the mouth.

D) Take a deep breath and then expectorate.

This is the correct answer because it accurately describes the proper technique for collecting a sputum specimen. Taking a deep breath helps the patient gather the mucus that is necessary for an accurate sample.

Conclusion

The correct answer is definitively D, as it directly addresses the proper method for obtaining a sputum specimen. Options A, B, and C are all unrelated to sputum collection and focus instead on other bodily samples, demonstrating a lack of relevance to the specific procedure in question. Thus, understanding the correct approach to sputum collection is essential for ensuring quality specimens in diagnostic testing.