While preparing to obtain a stool specimen for occult blood, the nurse observes that the client's feces is soft, solid, and light brown. Which action should the nurse implement?

A. Obtain the specimen from the client's current bowel movement is the correct action. Occult blood can be present even in normal-appearing stool. The nurse should obtain the specimen from the current bowel movement, as it is part of the protocol for testing for hidden blood in the stool. The stool does not need to be tarry or black to test for occult blood. B. Withhold specimen collection until tarry black stool is observed is incorrect. Tarry black stools often indicate the presence of digested blood, but occult blood testing is designed to detect blood that may not be visible to the naked eye, even in normal-colored stool. C. Contact the healthcare provider before obtaining the specimen is unnecessary. The nurse can proceed with the collection as per the standard procedure without needing to contact the healthcare provider, unless there is a specific reason to do so. D. Wait to obtain the specimen until observable blood is present is incorrect. The purpose of an occult blood test is to detect hidden (occult) blood, which may not be visible to the eye. The nurse should not wait for visible blood to appear before collecting the specimen.