Specimen Collection: Urine

Specimen Collection: Urine

Random
■ Indicated for routine screening and may be collected at any time.
■ Instruct Pt to void into specimen container.
■ Indicated for microbiologic and cytologic studies.

♦ Male patients:Wash hands thoroughly, cleanse the meatus, pull back foreskin, void small amount into toilet, then void into specimen collection container. Secure lid tightly.
♦ Female patients:Wash hands thoroughly, and cleanse labia and meatus from front to back. While holding labia apart, void small amount into toilet, and then, without interrupting flow of urine, void into specimen collection container. Secure lid tightly.

Catheterized Random/Clean Catch
■ Ensure that tubing is empty, and then clamp tube distal to collection port for 15 minutes.
■ Cleanse collection port with antiseptic swab and allow to air dry.
■ Using needle and syringe, withdraw required amount of specimen and then unclamp tubing.
■ Follow lab guidelines for handling.

First Morning
■ Yields very concentrated specimen for screening substances less detectible in more dilute sample.
■ Instruct Pt to void into specimen container on awakening.

Second Void
■ Instruct Pt to void, drink a glass of water, wait 30 minutes, and then void into specimen collection container.

Timed (24-Hour Urine)
■ Used to quantify substances in urine and to measure substances whose level of excretion varies over time.
■ Ideally, collection should begin between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m.
■ Specimen container should be refrigerated or kept on ice for entire collection period.
■ Start time of 24-hour collection begins with collection and discard of first void.
■ Instruct Pt to discard first void of day and record date and time on collection container.
■ Add each subsequent void to collection container, and instruct Pt to void at same time on following morning and add it to collection container.
■ This is the end of 24-hour collection period.
■ Record date and time, and send specimen to lab.

Timed (24-Hour Urine): Catheterized Patients
■ Follows the same guidelines as regular timed urine collection, but started after bag and tubing have been replaced. This is start time and should be recorded on collection container.
■ Either collection bag is kept on ice or specimen is emptied every 2 hours into a collection container, which is refrigerated or kept on ice.
■ At end of 24 hours, remaining urine is emptied into collection container.
■ This is the end of 24-hour collection period.
■ Record date and time, and send specimen to lab.