Getting urines quicker

HermioneG, BSN, RN · Apr 11, 2018

I bring it up immediately as I meet the patient. It goes something like this:

"Hi, my name is HermioneG and I'm going to be your nurse today. What brought you into our ER today? (pt explains) Ok so I took a look at your chart and I see that we have done (A, B, C) already and are waiting for results for (X, Y, Z). Something important that you can do to help get results for the docs and answers for you faster, is to pee in this cup here." (hands patient urine cup and biohazard bag). "Now, I know you might not feel the urge to go, but lets at least try. The lab only needs a little bit." Then I will usually do a quick assessment and then we try for urine. Even if I don't have an active order yet, I still ask them to try since I've gotten to the point where I can start to anticipate when it will be ordered.

Usually when I explain to the patient/parent/family that the quicker we get urine the quicker we can get results and expedite their stay they're able to provide urine quite quickly. I've personally found that when I get a hugeeeee delay with the urine often times the patient just didn't understand that I wanted it sooner rather than later and will wait for a completely full bladder to give the urine sample.

I also find that unless I have a truly urgent or emergent situation going on its easier to help the patient get into a gown, get them in socks, help them get settled, and help them with getting set up to go pee early on (for non ambulatory pt) so that way I don't get the "NURSE I NEED A BEDPAN RIGHT NOW" routine when I'm swamped juggling a million things. Its not foolproof, but it at least helps a bit.

Editorial Team / Moderator · Apr 12, 2018

I have found that explaining the mid-stream clean catch procedures is helpful too - even if the patient says they know how to do it properly, nine times out of 10 they really don't, and you end up with a contaminated sample.