Home Health Aide Practice Exam

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Prepare for the Home Health Aide Exam. Use flashcards and a variety of multiple-choice questions, each accompanied by hints and explanations. Be fully prepared to excel in your test!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

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What time of day is best for collecting a sputum specimen?

Midday
Early afternoon
Evening
Early morning

The correct answer is: Early morning

The early morning is considered the best time for collecting a sputum specimen because, during this time, the respiratory secretions have had the longest period to accumulate overnight. This accumulation results in a specimen that is more concentrated and contains a higher yield of cellular material and microorganisms, which is crucial for accurate testing and diagnosis. In the early morning, the patient is usually still at a state of rest, which can also facilitate the production of a more clear and uncontaminated sputum sample. Collecting sputum at this time minimizes the interference from food or other substances ingested throughout the day, ensuring that the sample is representative of the respiratory condition being assessed.