1. Submit the aspirated specimen in a specimen trap after suctioning collected by the physician.
2. Place the specimen in a screw-capped, sterile container.
3. Label the container with the patient's full name, date of birth, identification number, date and time of collection, initials of the person collecting the specimen, and the specimen source.
4. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.
5. The specimen source is required on the request form for processing.

Unacceptable specimens will be held for 24 hours before discarding.

87070 - Culture Respiratory (EAP 30060800)
87205 - Gram Stain (EAP 30061200)
87077 - Aerobic identification (if appropriate)
87184 - Susceptibility studies, disk method (if appropriate)
87186 - Susceptibility studies, microdilution or agar dilution (if appropriate)