Collection Instructions
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Scrapings (Lesion or Mouth)
1. Collect scrapings and place in a screw-capped, sterile container.
2. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature.
Note: Specimen source is required on request form for processing.
Swab (Lesion or Mouth)
1. Collect specimen using a sterile culture swab. 2. Remove cap and swab from tube. 3. Tilt patient’s head back to assist in opening of mouth as wide as possible. 4. Swab inside of cheek, and gums, or lesion.
5. Return swab to sterile culture transport tube to ensure specimen preservation.
6. Label tube with patient’s name (first and last), date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.
7. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature.
Note: Specimen source is required on request form for processing.
Throat
1. Collect specimen using a sterile culture swab. 2. Remove cap and swab from tube. 3. Tilt patient’s head back to assist in opening of mouth as wide as possible. 4. Depress tongue with a tongue depressor so swab doesn’t touch oral mucosa or tongue. 5. If patient has complained of 1 spot being sore, swab that area well. 6. In 1 continuous motion: A. Swab 1 tonsillar area up then down. B. Move to back of throat as far down as possible and swab there. C. Move to other tonsillar area and swab. 7. Return swab to sterile culture transport tube to ensure specimen preservation.
8. Label tube with patient’s name (first and last), date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.
9. Send specimen refrigerated.
10. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.
Note: Specimen source is required on request form for processing.
Urine
1. Patient should not have urinated for at least 1 hour prior to specimen collection. 2. Patient should collect first portion of a voided urine (first part of stream-not midstream) into a screw-capped, sterile, plastic, preservative-free specimen collection container. 3. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.
4. Send specimen refrigerated.
5. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.
Note: Specimen source is required on request form for processing.
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