Collecting a Timed Urine Specimen

Purpose
• For some tests of renal functions and urine compositions, such as:- measuring the level of or hormones, such as adrenocortico steroid hormone creatinine clearance or protein quantitation tests.

Equipments Required
• Urine specimen collecting materials (usually obtained from the laboratory and kept in the patient's bathroom.)
• Format for recording the time, date started and end, and the amount of urine collected on each patient's voiding during the specified period for collection.

Procedure
1. Patient preparation
• Adequate explanation to the patient about the purpose of the test, when it begins and what to do with the urine
• Place alert signs about the specimen collection at the patient's bedside or bathroom.
• Label the specimen container to include date and time of each voiding as well as patient's identification data
• Containers may be numbered sequentially (e.g. 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc) in case of 24-hours urine collection.

2. Collecting the urine
• Usually it begin in the morning
• Before you begin the timing, the patient should void and do not use this urine (It is the urine that has been in the bladder some time)
• Then all urine voided during the specified time (e.g. the next 24 hours) is collected in the container
• At the end of the time (e.g. 24 hours period) the patient should void the last specimen, which is added to the rest.
• Ensure that urine is free of feces