Urinalysis

Refer to your lab policy. You will need to straight cath for a clean

sample.

No, that would be a very contaminated sample, even if they are doing a dip stick. You would have to do a straight cath.

Annie

Do you think there might be chemicals in the brief, and if so, what do you think those chemicals might do to the specimen?

In pediatrics, we throw cotton balls in the diaper and squeeze them out into a specimen cup. *This is done when a urine sample is needed only for a UA- like for children on chemotherapy who need UAs with every void to check for spec gravs, blood and pH or children on high dose steroids who need it to check for glucose or on the ketogenic diet or diabetics who need to check for the presence of ketones in the urine.

If you need a culture you would need to either straight cath or they do make bags with adhesive that you can place around the appropriate area for a "clean catch". The bags are essentially useless in my experience.

Thank you all for your advises :)

In our pediatric hospital we use urine bags on the floor and picu for patients who only need a UA but never a culture. Bags are all about how you prep them and which brand your hospital buys. Some work great and some are pretty awful. Any of our peds who cannot void for a clean catch needs to have a cath done if we are going to culture. While cathing is not pleasant for the patient it is far better off than being treated for an infection that they do not have and potentially having an adverse reaction to the antibiotics they didn't need.

Short answer, no. Ideally a urine specimen should be obtained by straight cath. You didn't mention where you work but I can see that as being difficult in an assisted living, group home or in the patient's home setting. If possible get the equipment and obtain the urine by straight cath. If that's not possible for whatever reason people usually void shortly after waking up so try to toilet the patient using a nuns cap as soon as they are out of bed. If the patient is bed bound you can also use a fracture bed pan, just don't leave it under the patient too long waiting for them to void.

No. Either straight cath, or if they're a bit mentally able and cooperative, perhaps pee into a 'hat' on the toilet.

That's myanalysis of the urinalysis, said Groucho Marx...

Hi fellow nurses. If your patient is incontinent and you have to get a urine sample for Urinalysis, would you put a brief and squeeze the urine out of the brief? Thanks.

You do not need a straight cath for a urinalysis only. Follow your organization's policy. You would definitely make sure that patient is cleaned well before the collection process. Good luck.