Respiratory System Test Questions Related

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The nurse doing rounds at the beginning of a shift notices a sputum specimen in a container sitting on the bedside table in a patient's room. The nurse asks the patient when he produced the sputum specimen and he states that the specimen is about 4 hours old. What action should the nurse take?

  • A. Immediately take the sputum specimen to the laboratory.
  • B. Discard the specimen and assist the patient in obtaining another specimen.
  • C. Refrigerate the sputum specimen and submit it once it is chilled.
  • D. Add a small amount of normal saline to moisten the specimen.
Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Discard the specimen and assist the patient in obtaining another specimen. It is important to discard the sputum specimen because it has been sitting for 4 hours, which could lead to contamination and inaccurate test results. The nurse should assist the patient in obtaining a fresh specimen to ensure accurate testing.

Choice A is incorrect because taking the old specimen to the lab could lead to inaccurate results. Choice C is incorrect because refrigerating the old specimen won't prevent contamination. Choice D is incorrect because adding saline to the old specimen can alter its composition and lead to inaccurate test results.