The nurse needs to collect a specimen from a client; however, the nurs

The nurse needs to collect a specimen from a client; however, the nurse has never collected this type of specimen in the past. What should the nurse do?

1. Notify the physician.
2. Ask another nurse to collect the specimen.
3. Consult the nursing procedure manual.
4. Delegate the collection of the specimen to unlicensed assistive personnel.

ANSWER

Correct Answer: 3
Rationale 1: The nurse should not notify the physician.
Rationale 2: The nurse should not ask another nurse to collect the specimen.
Rationale 3: A nursing procedure or laboratory manual is often available if the nurse is unfamiliar with the procedure. If there is any question about the procedure, the nurse should call the laboratory for directions before collecting the specimen.
Rationale 4: The nurse should not delegate the collection of the specimen to unlicensed assistive personnel.