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Specimen Management Policies and Rationale, Page 1 of 2
< Previous page Next page > /docserver/preview/fulltext/10.1128/9781555819620/9781555819613_ch02-1.gif /docserver/preview/fulltext/10.1128/9781555819620/9781555819613_ch02-2.gifAbstract:
In cooperation with selected members of the medical staff or laboratory clients, the laboratory should formulate a policy for specimen management that supports both good medicine and good laboratory practice. This policy should be documented, and a copy of it should be distributed to all users and clients of microbiology laboratory services. Part of the policy should be a carefully prepared, fact-supported manual on how to collect and handle specimens. It is important for nurses and clinicians to understand the needs of the laboratory regarding specimen collection and handling. In addition, the policy should address the special needs of the laboratory and the rationale for these needs. Laboratory leaders should be prepared to provide in-service training on specimen collection and management policies to medical and nursing staff and others who collect specimens for microbiology. This section discusses simple policy statements and includes the rationale for each policy in italics.