Collection of Stool Samples (Nursing)

00:01 Hey, guys. Today I'm going to walk you through the steps of collecting a stool sample for analysis. Now we're going to use a patient scenario to help you see how these steps look in the clinical environment.

00:13 We'll just talk about a typical scenario.

00:15 Might be a middle aged male in the emergency department who reports several weeks of abdominal pain and nausea and persistent diarrhea.

00:24 Now his physician suspects a parasitic stool infection and stool sample collection is ordered for lab analysis.

00:31 Our first step is to explain that we need to collect a stool sample and send it to the lab to see if there are any parasites in the stool making him ill.

00:40 Now, once we've explained the procedure, we need to go ahead and gather our supplies, which could include a pair of clean, disposable gloves like you see here, a collection container.

00:51 And we want to make sure on the collection container we've got a label with a client details like your name and date of birth, for example.

00:59 We also want to include a specimen transport bag, a tongue depressor collection tool, and a bedpan or a collection receptacle like you see here, which we often call a potty hat.

01:10 Now, if the client is mobile, we can direct them to use just a clean toilet with like a potty hat like you see here.

01:17 Positioned at the back end of the toilet or a bedpan to collect the sample.

01:22 Now for bedridden clients.

01:24 You want to place a bedpan under the client, ensuring comfort and privacy.

01:29 Now it's really important reminder to instruct the client to avoid contaminating the stool sample with urine or their toilet paper or wet wipes, whatever they use. Now, once our sample has been produced, we want to make sure we wear gloves when handling equipment and the sample.

01:48 Then we want to go ahead and take care of our client.

01:50 So we want to assist them with any genital and hand hygiene at this time.

01:56 Now once we've taken care of our client, we need to actually collect and prepare our sample for analysis. Now you will want to use the provided collection container tool to scoop up the stool into the sample container.

02:09 We're going to collect it from different parts of the stool for accuracy, and avoid filling the container beyond the marked lines.

02:16 We also want to make sure we secure the container lid tightly to prevent leaks.

02:21 So for right now, I'm going to go ahead and don my gloves.

02:23 I would do hand hygiene.

02:25 I'm just going to show you a quick example here.

02:28 We clearly wouldn't have this on a patient's bedside table.

02:31 But for this demonstration I'll just show you quickly. I'm going to don our gloves.

02:35 We're also I would take a tongue depressor collection tool.

02:38 I had just gotten this out of the package.

02:41 We want to have our patient label with all of their information on it.

02:45 We can unscrew the top, and we can use our tongue depressor to collect our stool sample.

02:58 So we're going to use this. We're going to try to not hit anywhere outside of the container.

03:06 And we're going to make sure we secure the container lid tightly to prevent any leaks. Now as with any sample, it's very important to label the container. Now if it's not pre labeled with the client's details like again their name, their date of birth, the time of collection if the provider's orders required, that's all very important.

03:28 Because if the specimens not labeled, the lab can't guarantee the results are your patients, and treatment decisions and medications are given based on lab and specimen results. Now, don't forget to place the container in the specimen transport bag and stored as instructed by the facility's policy. Now, a refrigeration may be needed if transport is delayed.

03:51 Now we're going to go ahead and document.

03:53 We want to record the date, the time, any relevant details about the sample. Maybe this is consistency or color in the client's medical record.

04:03 We want to ensure we deliver the specimen to the lab as quickly as possible, ensuring it's properly handled.

04:10 Now there are different facility protocol for parasites.

04:14 This could include immediate delivery, refrigeration, and sometimes that even means physically walking the specimen down to the lab.

04:23 Now we've just reviewed how to appropriately collect a stool sample, which is a routine skill in the health care environment.

04:29 However, ensuring proper technique ensures accurate results and appropriate treatment for your patient.