b. Clean bedpan and cover (an extra bedpan or urinal if the patient must void).
c. Specimen container and lid.
d. Wooden tongue blades.
e. Paper bag for used tongue blades.
e. Labels.
f. Plastic bag for transport of container with specimen to laboratory.
2-10. PROCEDURE FOR STOOL SPECIMEN
a. Explain the reason for the test and the procedure to the patient. Ask the
patient to tell you when he feels the urge to have a bowel movement.
b. Wear gloves when handling any bodily discharge (see universal precautions
in the introduction to this subcourse).
c. Give the bedpan when the patient is ready. If the patient wants to urinate
first, give a male the urinal or give a female the extra bedpan.
d. Remove the bedpan. Use the tongue blade to transfer a portion of the feces
to the specimen container. Do not touch the specimen because it is contaminated. It is
not necessary to keep this specimen sterile however, because the gastrointestinal tract
is not sterile.
e. Cover the container and label it with the patient's name and social security
number.
f. Complete the appropriate laboratory request form, noting any special
examination ordered.
g. Take the specimen to the lab immediately; examination for parasites, ova,
and organisms must be made while the stool is warm.
h. If an infant's stool is to be examined, place the diaper in a leakproof bag, label
it, and take the diaper and request form to the lab immediately.
2-11. GUAIAC TEST
The purpose of this test, using guaiac as a reagent, is to detect the presence of
occult blood (blood that appears from a nonspecific source, with obscure signs and
symptoms), which is not visible. Each method of testing has a specific procedure,
which must be followed to get accurate results. If it is done at the nursing station,
MD0906
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