A student nurse on a medical-surgical floor is caring for a 62-year-old previously healthy female. The patient has been admitted for an infectious disease work-up. She has been experiencing generalized pain and nausea for the past three weeks, and recently developed a fever. The student nurse prepares to assist the RN in collecting blood for the following lab tests: complete blood count (CBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), eosinophil sedimentation rate (ESR), blood culture, urine culture, and a lumbar puncture with cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) culture and cell count. The nurse is also collecting a sputum culture, as well as a respiratory PCR by nasopharyngeal suction.
-The lumbar puncture was especially uncomfortable for the patient.What step listed below is most important to be taken to ensure the procedure does not need to be repeated?

Question

A student nurse on a medical-surgical floor is caring for a 62-year-old previously healthy female. The patient has been admitted for an infectious disease work-up. She has been experiencing generalized pain and nausea for the past three weeks, and recently developed a fever. The student nurse prepares to assist the RN in collecting blood for the following lab tests: complete blood count (CBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), eosinophil sedimentation rate (ESR), blood culture, urine culture, and a lumbar puncture with cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) culture and cell count. The nurse is also collecting a sputum culture, as well as a respiratory PCR by nasopharyngeal suction. 
-The lumbar puncture was especially uncomfortable for the patient.What step listed below is most important to be taken to ensure the procedure does not need to be repeated?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

All the steps are equally important to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the test results, preventing the need for repeating the procedure.

A Student Nurse on a Medical-Surgical Floor Is Caring for a 62-Year-Old