Question

You are asked to collect a sputum specimen from your resident by the nurse. When is it easier to collect the specimen?

1) After an activity
2) After a meal
3) Before a meal
4) Upon awakening in the morning

Answer 1

The optimal time for sputum specimen collection is upon waking up in the morning, when respiratory secretions have accumulated overnight.

Step-by-step explanation:

The best time to collect a sputum specimen from a patient is upon awakening in the morning. Overnight, secretions accumulate in the respiratory tract, which makes the early morning an optimal time for collection. This ensures a more substantial specimen, which can provide more accurate diagnostic information for conditions such as influenza, especially if the patient has been experiencing symptoms like those John had. Immediately after activities or meals, secretions might not be as readily available or could be contaminated with food particles.