Specimen Requirements

Specimen must arrive within 24 hours of collection. If using a C & S transport system, urine is stable for 48 hours.

Specimen source is required.

Unless specimen is being collected to monitor effectiveness of antibiotic therapy, it must be collected prior to administration of antibiotics. Most antibiotics concentrate in urine.

Preferred

Specimen Type: Clean-catch, midstream urine
Container/Tube: Sterile urine container

Specimen Volume: A minimum of 50 mL

Collection Instructions:

1. See Urine for Culture in Urine Collection in Special Instructions for clean-catch, midstream urine specimen collection instructions.

2. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), medical record number, date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.

3. Specimen volume <40 mL, unless larger volume is not obtainable, is not acceptable.

4. 24-hour urine specimen is not acceptable.

Alternate

Specimen Type: Catheterized urine

Container/Tube: Sterile urine container

Specimen Volume: 10 mL

Collection Instructions:

1. Discard first few milliliters of urine from catheter to wash out any organisms that may have lodged in catheter tip during transit through urethra.
2. Cleanse catheter with an alcohol sponge, puncture with sterile needle, and collect urine in sterile syringe. Urine may also be collected from soft rubber connector between catheter and collecting tube.

3. Transfer urine into urine container. Mix well.

4. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), medical record number, date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.

Additional Information:

1. This procedure should be restricted to patients unable to produce a midstream specimen, and it should be performed aseptically to avoid introducing nosocomial infection.

2. Avoid sending urine that has remained stagnant in catheter tubing for any length of time. Do not send catheter bag urine except in the case of neonates or young infants when special precautions have been taken, and avoid sending urine from catheters that have been in place longer than 5 to 9 days.

3. Foley catheter tips are unsuitable for culture because they are invariably contaminated with urethral organisms.

Specimen Type: Suprapubic tap

Container/Tube: Sterile urine container

Specimen Volume: 10 mL

Collection Instructions:

1. Aseptically collect urine with a needle and syringe.
2. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), medical record number, date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.

Additional Information: This procedure is reserved almost exclusively for neonates and small children, or occasionally for adults, with clinically suspected urinary tract infections in which clean-catch specimens have failed to establish a diagnosis. This is the only acceptable specimen for anaerobic culture of urine.