Final answer:
A patient must collect multiple stool samples over several days for fecal occult blood testing. The patient should avoid certain foods and medications that can affect the result and ensure proper labelling and timely delivery of the samples to the test center. Testing for hidden blood in stool is used in the screening of colorectal cancer.
Step-by-step explanation:
A nurse instructing a patient on how to collect a stool specimen for fecal occult blood testing should cover a variety of important steps. Firstly, the patient should be informed that the test generally requires the collection of multiple stool samples over several days, ideally at least 7.
Specific instructions should include avoiding certain medications and foods that can affect the test result such as red meat and some fruits, which can cause a false positive, and vitamin C which can cause a false negative. The patient should also be aware that the specimen needs proper labelling, including their name, and needs to be delivered to the healthcare facility as soon as possible after collection to ensure accurate results.
Testing for the presence of occult (hidden) blood in stool is one method used to screen for colorectal cancer, particularly in individuals over 50 years of age. Microscopic examination of the stool samples can reveal evidence of blood, which could potentially signal precancerous polyps or other abnormalities.
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