urinary analysis

[jamieousn]

i dont know if this is a stupid question or not....but a nurse wanted a UA from a female pt with a foley..she told me she clamped the tubing and to go in and get it. i had never gotten one before but figured it was easy so just went in to do it. i know you are not supposed to take it from the bag/tube..which is why you clamp it off...but when i tried to draw urine out i got nothing....was i doing something wrong? i have asked a few other students and they couldn't answer my question. one just said she doesnt clamp it and takes it from the tube or bag...assuming that it hasnt been sitting for long. thanks, jamie

[hypocaffeinemia, BSN, RN]

You clamp it off and then wait 15 minutes or so for urine to accumulate.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

what i always did was clamp the tubing for 15 or 30 minutes. when i went back to collect the sample, the drainage tube had an injection port near where it was connected to the foley catheter. i swabbed that with alcohol or betadine, inserted a sterile syringe with a needle and withdrew urine then unclamped the tubing. alternatively, but not recommended, and if you are dexterous, the connection of the tubing can be cleansed with alcohol or betadine, disconnected and urine allowed to flow into a sterile specimen cup and then the tubings reattached.

if you are not getting any urine return have the patient turn and reposition themselves. if that doesn't help then have the patient drink some fluids and wait a little longer before trying again.

[jamieousn]

thank you both for the reply!!! so i guess i was doing it right but just needed to wait a little longer or reposition/have pt drink water. thanks again!