A nurse reviews the Gram stain results from a patient's sputum culture.Which finding indicates that the specimen is contaminated by oral flora?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Squamous epithelial cells are normally present in the oral cavity and can contaminate sputum specimens, leading to a higher count than expected. The presence of squamous epithelial cells in a sputum specimen suggests contamination by oral flora rather than a true respiratory infection. Polymorphonuclear neutrophils and gram-negative bacteria with white blood cells are findings that suggest a respiratory infection. The presence of homogeneous microbial flora can indicate a pure culture without contamination, but it does not indicate specifically if the contamination is from oral flora.

A Nurse Reviews the Gram Stain Results from a Patient's