Specimen Requirements

Collection Container/Tube:

• Sterile, plastic urine container (if collected at Waconia site only)
• C & S preservative transport tube
• UriSponge transport/preservative system

Specimen Volume: 

• > 1 mL in sterile cup (if collected at Waconia site only)
• 3 - 4mL in C & S preservative transport tube
• 1 - 3 mL in UriSponge transport/preservative system (Minimum Volume: 1 mL)

A random urine specimen (a first-morning, clean-catch urine preferred) collected as follows:

Midstream Specimen

Males

1. Avoid contamination of specimen with soap, feces, oil, powder, etc.
2. If uncircumcised, retract foreskin.
3. Using a sterile wipe, cleanse glans, beginning at urethra and working away from it. Repeat, using a fresh sterile wipe.
4. Begin urinating and pass first portion into toilet. Pass midportion into screw-capped, sterile container. Pass remainder into toilet.
5. Label specimen with patient’s name, date of birth or hospital medical record number, specimen source, date and time of collection, and collector’s initials.

Females

1. Avoid contamination of specimen with soap, feces, oil, powder, etc.
2. Using 1 hand, hold labia apart.
3. Using a sterile wipe, cleanse urethral area from front to back. Repeat, using a fresh sterile wipe.
4. Begin urinating and pass first portion into toilet. Pass midportion into screw-capped, sterile container. Pass remainder into toilet.
5. Label specimen with patient’s name, date of birth or hospital medical record number, specimen source, date and time of collection, and collector’s initials.

Catheterized Specimen

Indwelling Catheter

1. Pinch off drainage tubing below aspiration site.
2. Swab aspiration site with an antibacterial wipe.
3. Insert needle with attached syringe into aspiration site and aspirate 2 mL of urine into a screw-capped, sterile container.
4. Label specimen with patient’s name, date of birth or hospital medical record number, specimen source, date and time of collection, and collector’s initials.

Straight Catheter

1. Insert straight catheter and drain 5 to 25 mL of urine into a screw-capped, sterile container.
2. Label specimen with patient’s name, date of birth or hospital medical record number, specimen source, date and time of collection, and collector’s initials.