Specimen Collection

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NCLEX-PN › Specimen Collection

Questions 1 - 2
1

A 74-year-old male with type 2 diabetes is due for a bedtime capillary blood glucose check; he is receiving oxygen at 2 L/min by nasal cannula and is alert. Vital signs are T 98.5°F (36.9°C), HR 82/min, RR 18/min, BP 138/80 mm Hg. What is the nurse's PRIORITY action when collecting a blood specimen?

Instruct the client to cough deeply after rinsing the mouth to obtain a sputum specimen

Confirm the client’s identity using two identifiers before obtaining the fingerstick specimen

Puncture the same finger used last time to maintain consistency between readings

Apply a bandage tightly over the puncture site to stop bleeding quickly

Explanation

This question tests specimen collection and reduction of risk potential. Proper technique in specimen collection is crucial to prevent contamination and ensure accurate diagnostic results. The correct answer, confirming the client’s identity using two identifiers before obtaining the fingerstick specimen, represents the best practice because it ensures patient safety and accurate result attribution. Option B risks circulatory compromise; option C increases infection or callus risk; option D is unrelated to blood collection and pertains to sputum specimens. The principle behind accurate specimen collection is to obtain a sample that truly represents the client's condition without external contaminants. Safe collection involves using sterile equipment and proper hygiene to reduce infection risk. A transferable strategy is to always verify identity as the first step in any procedure to maintain specimen integrity.

2

A 66-year-old female with type 2 diabetes is scheduled for a fasting fingerstick blood glucose; she has just finished eating breakfast by mistake. Vital signs are T 98.3°F (36.8°C), HR 74/min, RR 16/min, BP 134/78 mm Hg. What is the nurse's PRIORITY action when collecting a blood specimen?

Instruct the client to provide a midstream clean-catch urine sample

Proceed with the fingerstick and document that the client ate breakfast

Clarify the timing of the test and notify the nurse in charge or provider per facility policy before obtaining the specimen

Ask the client to drink water and walk for 15 minutes before the fingerstick

Explanation

This question tests specimen collection and reduction of risk potential. Proper technique in specimen collection is crucial to prevent contamination and ensure accurate diagnostic results. The correct answer, clarifying the timing of the test and notifying the nurse in charge or provider per facility policy before obtaining the specimen, represents the best practice because it addresses the non-fasting state that could skew results. Option A ignores the fasting requirement; option C does not correct the issue; option D is unrelated to blood collection and pertains to urine specimens. The principle behind accurate specimen collection is to obtain a sample that truly represents the client's condition without external contaminants. Safe collection involves using sterile equipment and proper hygiene to reduce infection risk. A transferable strategy is to always verify test conditions like fasting and escalate deviations to maintain specimen integrity.