URINALYSIS (addendum)
(catecholamines, electrolytes, 17-
TYPES OF SPECIMENS
• It is important to obtain a specimen that is
representative of a patient’s metabolic state
• Special conditions include time, length, and
method of collection and the patient’s dietary
and medicinal intake.
Random Specimen
• Most commonly received specimen
• May be collected at any time
• Record time of voiding on the container
• Routine screening
First Morning Specimen
• Evaluation of orthostatic proteinuria
• A concentrated specimen, thereby assuring
detection of chemicals and formed elements
that may not be present in a dilute random
specimen
• Instruct the patient to collect the specimen
immediately on arising
• Patient should deliver the specimen within 1-2
hours or keep refrigerated
24-hour (or Timed) Specimen
• May be used to provide accurate quantitative
results, such as measuring the exact amount of
a urine chemical
• Many solutes exhibit diurnal variations
hydroxysteroids)
• Patient must begin and end the collection period
on an empty bladder to obtain an accurate
timed specimen
• All specimens should be refrigerated or kept on
ice during the collection period
Catheterized Specimen
• For bacterial culture
• Collected under sterile conditions
• A catheter is passed through the urethra into the
bladder
Midstream Clean-Catch Urine
• A safer, less traumatic method for obtaining
urine for bacterial culture and routine urinalysis
• Less contaminated by epithelial cells and
bacteria
• Better represents patient’s actual urine than the
routinely voided specimen
• Patient must be provided with the appropriate
cleansing materials, a sterile container, and
instructions on how to void
• Make sure to instruct the patient to discard the
first urine passed

Suprapubic Aspiration
• External introduction of a needle through the
abdomen into the bladder
• For bacterial culture or cytologic examination
Prostatitis Specimen
• Instruct the patient to cleanse using the mid-
stream clean-catch procedure.
• The first passed urine is collected into a sterile
container. Next, the midstream portion is
collected into another sterile container
• The prostate is massaged so that the prostate
fluid will be passed with the remaining urine into
a third sterile container.
• Quantitative cultures done for all specimens
• First and third specimens are examined
microscopically
Pediatric Specimens
• Soft, clear plastic bags with hypoallergenic skin
adhesive to attach to the genital area is available
for routine collection
• Cleanse the genital area and attach the bag
firmly, avoiding the anus
• When enough specimen has been collected, the
bag may be removed and labeled, or the
contents may be poured into another container
that is then labeled.
Drug Specimen Collection
• Correct collection procedures and
documentation are necessary to ensure that the
results are those the specific individual
submitting the specimen
• The Chain of Custody (COC) is a standardized
form that must document and accompany every
step of drug testing, and all personnel handling
the specimen must be noted (collector, courier,
laboratory, medical review officer, employer)
• The specimen must be handled securely to
ensure that no unauthorized access to the
specimen was possible
• Requires proper identification of the individual
whose information is on the label
• Urine specimen collection may be “witnessed”
or “un-witnessed”
• Collections are immediately handed to the
collector
• Urine temperature (32.5 - 37.7C) and urine color
are identified for any signs of contamination