Advanced Patient Assessment Practice Exam

The purpose of performing the sensitivity test on sputum samples is to:

1. Determine the viscosity of the sputum

2. Identify the general type of organism responsible for the infection

3. Determine the best antibiotic to prescribe

4. Determine the quality of the sputum sample

The correct answer is: Determine the best antibiotic to prescribe

Performing a sensitivity test on sputum samples is crucial for identifying the most effective antibiotic treatment for a patient. When a healthcare provider collects a sputum sample, they often want to understand not only the type of organism causing the infection but also how that organism responds to various antibiotics. The sensitivity test evaluates the susceptibility of the bacteria to specific antibiotics, which helps in guiding the most appropriate treatment choice and can lead to improved patient outcomes. This process is particularly important in the context of respiratory infections, where antibiotic resistance can significantly complicate treatment. By determining which antibiotics can effectively inhibit or kill the bacteria isolated from the sputum, providers can tailor therapy to the individual patient’s needs, rather than prescribing a broad-spectrum antibiotic that may not be effective. Other aspects such as viscosity or the general identification of organisms are valuable in their own right but do not directly inform the treatment with antibiotics in the same way that a sensitivity test does. Additionally, while quality assessment of sputum samples is pertinent for test accuracy, it does not relate directly to the therapeutic decision-making process that the sensitivity test supports.