Collecting urine sample

[NextSummer]

My first job in nursing, although it was short, was long term care, and I worked only nights. What made me wonder was that when urine C+S needs to be done, days and evening shifts leave that work for nights. Why is that? Is that a particular reason? Does it sound similar in your LTCF as well?

[nursenikki928]

Usualy our 2nd shift nurses obtain the urine specimens because the patient is laying down and has had hs care. Day shift is just too busy. If 2nd shift doesnt get to it then the 3rd shift nurse may have to.

[emllpn2006]

At my facility the lab comes to pick up the urine around 5am. The night shift collects it so that it is a fresher sample than if day shift collected it and left it in the fridge all day.

[jetscreamer101]

Nights generally collect our urine specimens. It's always been that way. Maybe because they are mostly in bed to be able to obtain specimen via straight cath.

[marjoriemac, LPN]

We usually collect our urine specimens in the morning shift but night shift will write out the relevant forms for us. Our specimens have to be taken to GP practice by 3pm though.

[lvnnars1]

now is a UA the same as a C&S, when collecting urine for a UA, do we use those little tubes show here (http://www.krackeler.com/products/fid/228)?

[Forever Sunshine, ASN, RN]

My pet peeve. :oornt:

I've worked all shifts. Days can very well get a U/A C+S, as much as evenings or nights can. All shifts are busy. We don't just sit around eating bon bons once 7-3 goes home.

So my personal opinion is whoever takes the order from the MD should carry out the order. That includes obtaining supplies necessary(regardless whether you are getting the specimen or not) and the specimen itself(by either straight cath or delegating to CNAs to catch the specimen).

[debRN0417]

In my opinion, if a UA c/s is ordered there is some reason for it. So if it is ordered on days then are you going to delay treatment because the urine is not collected until night shift? That goes for any shift. Once the order is written I would think that the urine should be collected right away. Delay in treatment could cause your resident much more pain and suffering. If it is just a routine order, then that would be different, but one does not see many routine things ordered in LTC anymore.

[ktwlpn, LPN]

My pet peeve. :oornt:

I've worked all shifts. Days can very well get a U/A C+S, as much as evenings or nights can. All shifts are busy. We don't just sit around eating bon bons once 7-3 goes home.

So my personal opinion is whoever takes the order from the MD should carry out the order. That includes obtaining supplies necessary(regardless whether you are getting the specimen or not) and the specimen itself(by either straight cath or delegating to CNAs to catch the specimen).

It's our policy for the urines to be collected by nocs because the lab picks them up before 7am. You don't want the urine to sit for more then a few hours. I do fill out the lab slip-I may collect the supplies if I have time.I usually do not.

All of our docs are holding back on treating UTI's due to the prevalence of bacteriuria in our population and the current guidelines regarding treatment. We are having good results with immediately forcing fluids (unless contra-indicated) on these folks while waiting for the results instead of jumping to an antibiotic unless they fit the criteria for treatment (3 of the following- dysuria, urinary frequency, new incontinence , flank pain,fever and increased confusion) Most of our folks respond well to the increase in fluids

[Forever Sunshine, ASN, RN]

It's our policy for the urines to be collected by nocs because the lab picks them up before 7am. You don't want the urine to sit for more then a few hours. I do fill out the lab slip-I may collect the supplies if I have time.I usually do not.

All of our docs are holding back on treating UTI's due to the prevalence of bacteriuria in our population and the current guidelines regarding treatment. We are having good results with immediately forcing fluids (unless contra-indicated) on these folks while waiting for the results instead of jumping to an antibiotic unless they fit the criteria for treatment (3 of the following- dysuria, urinary frequency, new incontinence , flank pain,fever and increased confusion) Most of our folks respond well to the increase in fluids

We put the sample in a special lab refrigerator.. which brings me to my next point.. whoever takes the order .. should also notify the lab to come pick up the specimen if the following day is not a lab day.

[ktwlpn, LPN]

Our facility is large and very day is a lab day-we follow the lab's recommendations regarding appropriate length of refridgeration prior to pickup so it's really not about which shift is the busiest.We do have a central lab with a fridge where we place all our specimens awaiting pick up.

[mozella]

In my facility clean catch urine samples are not allowed. All must be done via straight cath. I have worked night shift, I am on day shift now. The night shift nurses may not be sitting around eating Bon Bons but the sure do have there hands in a bag of chips with a 2 liter bottle of pop sitting on the desk while texting and checking their facebook. Day shift is 100% busier than nights. with management telling you to do this, a family member irrate because their dads call light hasn't been answered yet, the doctor is waiting for you to round with him, you need to be in the dining room for breakfast and lunch,charting needs done and my med pass, there is no way I have time to get that resident undressed and laid down to do a straight cath. Night shift has charting, and med pass. come on now!