O R I G I N A L P A P E R Stool Specimen Collection: Nurses' and Patients' Perspectives Ramazan Gumral, MD

Abstract Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the difficulties that nurses are confronted with during the procedure of taking stool specimens, and the difficulties that patients experienced during giving stool specimens and their solutions. Background: Specimen collection is often the first crucial step in determining diagnosis and treatment methods. Appropriate specimen collection, transport, and processing are important to diagnose infectious diseases accurately. Methods: This descriptive/cross-sectional study included 173 nurses and 108 patients. To collect data, questionnaires developed by the authors were used. Results: Of the nurses, 24.3% stated that they have difficulty in explaining to patients the method for taking stool specimens. Of the patients, 66.7% expressed that they had difficulties in obtaining their own stool specimens. The main complaints of the patients were "not being able to determine the quantity of the stool to be given". Of the problematic patients, 16.7% expressed that they found no solution to their problems. Conclusion: Nurses should give patients information regarding an appropriate and applicable method of giving a specimen, and patients should be evaluated as to whether they need explanation on it