Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 85%
Simulated
A nurse is teaching a patient to obtain a specimen for fecal occult blood testing using the fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) at home. How does the nurse instruct the patient to collect the specimen?
Correct answer
B
Rationale
The correct answer is B: Collect one fecal smear from three separate bowel movements. This method ensures a more accurate representation of any potential occult blood in the stool. By collecting samples from three separate bowel movements, it increases the chances of detecting any abnormal blood presence consistently. This approach also minimizes the risk of false negatives that may occur if only one sample is taken.
Choice A is incorrect because getting three fecal smears from one bowel movement may not provide a reliable representation of occult blood presence across different instances. Choice C is incorrect as it limits the sampling to only one specific time of the day, potentially missing blood that may appear at other times. Choice D is incorrect because waiting to see blood before collecting samples may lead to delays in testing and missing intermittent bleeding episodes.
Choice A is incorrect because getting three fecal smears from one bowel movement may not provide a reliable representation of occult blood presence across different instances. Choice C is incorrect as it limits the sampling to only one specific time of the day, potentially missing blood that may appear at other times. Choice D is incorrect because waiting to see blood before collecting samples may lead to delays in testing and missing intermittent bleeding episodes.