Which abbreviation indicates a patient needs a sample for further testing?

The abbreviation that indicates a patient needs a sample for further testing is "spec," which stands for specimen. In medical settings, a specimen is typically a sample of blood, urine, tissue, or other bodily substance that is collected to perform tests and gather information about a patient's health. This abbreviation is commonly used in various medical orders and notes to denote the need for further analysis of a sample.

In contrast, the other abbreviations refer to different concepts: "TPR" stands for temperature, pulse, and respiration, indicating a set of vital signs that help assess a patient's general health status. "s/s" denotes signs and symptoms, which are the clinical indicators observed during a patient's examination and can help in diagnosing a condition. "RPH" typically stands for registered pharmacy or registered pharmacist, relating to pharmaceutical practice rather than testing or samples. Hence, "spec" is the correct choice in the context of needing a sample for testing.