Medical Laboratory Diagnostic Services Collection

Specimen Collection Basic rules for all specimen collection include:  Use aseptic technique  Inform pt about collection  Collect sample in proper manner & at correct time  Collect proper quantity of sample

Specimen Collection  Ask pt about any allergies or current meds that could affect test results  Label all samples with pt’s name & date of collection  Never perform a test unless it is ordered by a physician

Specimen Sources Sources of specimens or samples can include:  Urine  Stool  Sputum  Blood  Emesis

Urine Collection  Random  Random-collected any time; instruct pt not to touch inside of cup or lid  1 st Morning  1 st Morning-urine is more concentrated in morning due to length of time it stays in bladder  Midstream Clean Catch  Midstream Clean Catch-pt must cleanse urethral area with towelette; void 1 st portion of urine in toilet & then collect urine in clean container

Urine Collection  Timed  Timed-collection of urine over a specified length of time (usually 8 or 24 hours)  Catheter  Catheter-collected from Foley or straight cath  Suprapubic Aspiration  Suprapubic Aspiration-needle inserted in abd wall into bladder  Pediatric  Pediatric-urine bag

Stool Collection  Have pt defecate in clean, dry bed pan  Don’t get specimen mixed with urine or toilet paper  Use tongue blade to collect a specimen & place into collection container  Sample may need to be taken from 2 different parts of the stool

Sputum Collection  Usually collected as a morning specimen  Have pt cough into collection container  Must educate pt that sample should be coughed up sputum, not saliva

Blood Collection  Can be through venipuncture or capillary puncture  Venipuncture  Venipuncture=puncturing a vein with a needle that is specially designed for blood collection  Capillary puncture  Capillary puncture=puncturing skin & collecting blood from smallest blood vessels

Blood Collection  Capillary puncture  Capillary puncture is easy way to obtain small amount of blood  Commonly used for young children  Adults & children usual site is middle or ring finger  For infants, great toe or heel is used

Blood Collection  Capillary puncture lancet  Capillary puncture is done with a sharp device known as a lancet point-of-care testing  Capillary puncture is used for point-of-care testing  POC testing  POC testing=provides quick, reliable results at pt’s bedside

Emesis Collection  Collect from vomit  Collect from nasogastric tube (NGT) secretions  Sample may need to be taken from 2 different parts of the vomit or NGT secretions