urine collection

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Jan 6, 2010

Clean, scrupulously dry skin, some Cavilon skin prep (which doesn't sting so is fine on delicate tissues!) and a snug diaper. Skin prep the largest possible area so that wherever you put the adhesive, it'll be on the Cavilon. For little girls, use the bag with the largest opening you can find and cover their labia completely if possible. If you can't, then put the bag slightly more posterior than you think it should be. Little boys are easy; the bag should stay on if you get their scrotum in there too. Using a diaper that's a size too small (it's only temporary, don't let the mom freak about it) helps keep everything in place for long enough to get enough urine. You don't need 10 mL, most of the labs they need to do can be done on less than 3 mL. And of course a urine culture on bag urine is a waste of time.

Vtachy1 · Jan 12, 2010

That is incredibly helpful! i printed this out for reference. THanks!

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Jan 12, 2010

Glad to help.

CLRN · Feb 17, 2010

I know this is an older question but if you just need a small amount of urine another trick is to use the urine collection bag (follow the technique JanRN described) but put a couple of sterile 2x2s in the bag. That way when the child voids you can ensure that you get urine. Then take the soaked 2x2s, put them in a sterile syringe, put then plunger in and squeeze urine into a urine cup. We use this technique to check for ketones and specific grav all the time. We also do this without the bag. Just stuff the 2x2s in the diaper. Be sure to check with lab to make sure that they are ok with doing this for the test ordered. We used to use cotton balls but they can leave cotton residue.