The Best Way to Minimize the Amount of Upper Respiratory

Multiple Choice

The best way to minimize the amount of upper respiratory flora in a sputum specimen is to follow which of these procedures?

A) Cough up the specimen and when the specimen gets to the laboratory, digest it with enzymes that will kill the normal flora.
B) When plating the specimen, ensure that the swab goes deep into the sample to get only bacteria present in the lower lung.
C) Have the patient rinse the mouth with water and expectorate with the aid of a really deep cough directly into a sterile container.
D) Have a respiratory technician decontaminate a patient's mouth and throat before the specimen is collected.