Urine Strips

[punkdmm, BSN, RN]

Does your facility require daily control testing of open bottles of UA strips? Our old manufacturer recommended them but we are having trouble finding control solution through our new provider although the product insert states it should be done. Our old ADON had a policy for it but if I can't get the supplies to do it...just not sure how important this is.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

We don't even use urine strips.

[dream'n, BSN, RN]

I don't think I've ever worked at a place that had urine testing strips. If a concern comes up with a patient, we get a urinalysis. Maybe this antiquated testing just needs to be stopped.

[sallyrnrrt, ADN, RN]

There are "COLA, Clia, normally have controls and competiancy testing, but this practice is usually reserved for clinics, physician offices.....even though urine dipsticks, are a waived procedure, quality control and Clia or cola compliance, needs to be followed....

I have never seen the use in LTC

[bluegeegoo2, LPN]

My facility uses them, but no control checks are done. We use them to test for leukocytes and nitrites only. If the sample is positive for either, it is packaged for lab pickup for further testing.

[punkdmm, BSN, RN]

That is our practice as well. They're used as more of an indicator that it needs to be sent to the lab for analysis.

[notanumber]

We have urine strips but are considering phasing them out. Too many false positives. Latest seminar with a pharmacist on bacteriuria determined that they are useful for ruling *out* UTIs, but not in any other diagnostic sense. I still inform the physician of the results, but only to support requesting a culture in combination with other s/s. No particular policy on testing the strips. I just reorder new when they expire.