Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Laboratory Manual

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Link to collecting urine for multiple tests

Urine from bedpans, urinals, etc. should not be used for culture. A urine transport system is provided for clean catch, midstream collection. It contains wipes, a collection vessel, and a gray-top tube that has a boric-acid preservative. Urine should be obtained with this kit. THE CUP INCLUDED WITH THE TRANSPORT SYSTEM LEAKS!! DO NOT SEND IT TO THE LAB. PLEASE DISCARD IT AS A SHARP!

Cultures containing 3 or more colonial types in comparable quantities are assumed to be contaminated and are not worked-up. "Mixed bacterial flora-Please submit another specimen " is reported in the computer.

Specimen Collection for females

• The patient should remove her undergarments.
• She should wash her hands thoroughly with soap and water, rinse well, and dry with a disposable paper towel or shake off the excess water.
• With one hand, the patient should "spread herself" (her labia) and keep them apart continuously until the urine has voided into the cup.
• She should take a single sponge dripping with soap and pass it once from high up front toward the back. Discard the used sponge.
• Continuing to keep the labia open, repeat the front to back wash 2-3 more times.
  Each time discard the used sponge.
• Rinse thoroughly with warm sterile water to avoid contaminating the specimen with soap.
• The patient should start voiding 20-25 ml and then stop. The specimen should then be caught in the sterile specimen cup with the blue top provided with the CVS kit.
• She should avoid touching the cup to her legs, vulva, or clothing.

Specimen Collection for males

• The male patient should wash his hands as described above.
• If present, completely retract the foreskin and wash the glans penis with liquid soap soaked sponges.
• Surplus soap is removed with water.
• The patient should begin to void into the toilet and then stop.
• Then the patient should void into the specimen cup provided with the CVS kit.
• Tighten the lid on the specimen container.