In the morning, as soon as the client awakens.-rationale: because sputum accumulates in the lungs during sleep, the nurse should collect a sputum specimen in the morning, as soon as the client awakens. this specimen will be concentrated, increasing the likelihood of an accurate culture. sputum specimens collected at other times during the day arent concentrated and may not provide an accurate culture.client needs category: safe, effective care environmentclient needs subcategory: safety and infection controlcognitive level: knowledgereference: ellis, j.r., and bentz, p.m. modules for basic nursing skills, 7th ed. philadelphia: lippincott williams & wilkins, 2007, p. 288.
