This article was medically reviewed by Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS. Luba Lee, FNP-BC is a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and educator in Tennessee with over a decade of clinical experience. Luba has certifications in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Emergency Medicine, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Team Building, and Critical Care Nursing. She received her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from the University of Tennessee in 2006.
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From potential parasites and bacteria to viruses and internal bleeding, stool specimens give your healthcare provider a helpful look at what’s going on inside your GI tract. But how are you supposed to collect and store your stool without making a mess—and without your sample going bad? Don’t worry. We’ll walk you through all of the traditional rules and guidelines for stool collection so you can store and deliver (or mail) your sample as quickly as possible.