Collecting a Stool Specimen for Culture

Goal: An uncontaminated specimen is obtained and sent to the laboratory promptly.

1. Gather necessary equipment and bring to the bedside.

2. Perform hand hygiene and put on PPE, if indicated.

3. Identify the patient. Discuss with the patient the need for a stool sample. Explain to the patient the process by which the stool will be collected, either from a bedpan, commode, or plastic receptacle in the toilet to catch stool without urine. Instruct the patient to void first and not to discard toilet paper with stool. Tell the patient to call you as soon as a bowel movement is completed.

4. Check specimen label with the patient’s identification bracelet. Label should include patient’s name and identification number, time specimen was collected, route of collection, identification of the person obtaining the sample, and any other information required by agency policy.

5. After the patient has passed a stool, put on gloves. Use the tongue blades to obtain a sample, free of blood or urine, and place it in the designated clean container.

6. Collect as much of the stool as possible to send to the laboratory.

7. Place lid on container. Dispose of used equipment per facility policy. Remove gloves and perform hand hygiene.

8. Place label on the container per facility policy. Place container in plastic, sealable biohazard bag.

9. Remove other PPE, if used. Perform hand hygiene.

10. Transport the specimen to the laboratory while stool is still warm. If immediate transport is impossible, check with laboratory personnel or policy manual whether refrigeration is contraindicated.