urinalysis, urine culture, etc.

Double-Helix, BSN, RN · Oct 30, 2016

You're correct. Although in real life, a urine culture may be clean. The patient should wipe with antibacterial wipes prior to urinating, and try to catch a mid-stream specimen. A catheterized urine culture should be sterile, as should all catheter insertions, and accesses to the catheter system.

All of them can be done while menstruating. The only tests that could be affected by potential menstrual blood contamination are the clean-catch urine culture and urinalysis specimens, or a catheterized specimen performed incorrectly. If the results of the are abnormal, such as positive for blood, and it's believed to be contaminated due to menstrual bleeding, a catheterized specimen may be needed.

AliNajaCat · Nov 4, 2016

You're correct. Although in real life, a urine culture may be clean. The patient should wipe with antibacterial wipes prior to urinating, and try to catch a mid-stream specimen. A catheterized urine culture should be sterile, as should all catheter insertions, and accesses to the catheter system.
All of them can be done while menstruating. The only tests that could be affected by potential menstrual blood contamination are the clean-catch urine culture and urinalysis specimens, or a catheterized specimen performed incorrectly. If the results of the are abnormal, such as positive for blood, and it's believed to be contaminated due to menstrual bleeding, a catheterized specimen may be needed.

If you are collecting a urine specimen for UA from a woman who is menstruating, you can ask her if she can use a tampon. If not, then you can put a note on the lab slip that pt is menstruating. If there's a question that the UA is looking for hematuria, though, you'll probably need to get a cath specimen. .