Specimen Collection: Sputum/Throat Culture

Specimen Collection: Sputum/Throat Culture

General Guidelines
■ Use standard precautions when obtaining or handling specimen.
■ Cultures should be obtained before administration of antimicrobial therapy.
■ Document all specimen collections in medical record.

Expectorated Specimens
■ Instruct Pt to brush teeth or rinse mouth before specimen collection, to avoid contamination with normal oral flora.
■ Assist Pt to an upright position and provide over-bed table.
■ Instruct Pt to take two to three deep breaths and then cough deeply.
■ Sputum should be expectorated directly into sterile container.
■ Label specimen container, and send at room temperature to lab.

Throat Culture
■ Contraindicated in patients with acute epiglottitis.
■ Instruct Pt to tilt the head back and open mouth.
■ Use tongue depressor to prevent contact with tongue/uvula.
■ Using sterile culturette, swab both tonsillar pillars and oropharynx.
■ Place culturette swab into culturette tube and squeeze bottom to release liquid transport medium.
■ Ensure that swab is immersed in liquid transport medium.
■ Label specimen container and send at room temperature to lab.