a. Urinalysis is the examination and analysis of urine.

It is routinely performed to detect abnormalities. The results of urinalysis are used by the physician in diagnosis of urinary conditions.

b. Basic principles for collecting urine specimens include the following:

(1) The first morning urine specimen is the most concentrated and would be required for tests where identification of specific elements is required (hormones, for example).

(2) Never leave urine standing at room temperature. It will begin to breakdown, preventing accurate analysis.

(3) Urine specimens should be collected using “clean-catch” technique (see paragraph 2-11).

(4) When collecting a 24-hour specimen, ensure that the patient fully understands the collection procedure. If the patient fails to collect all the urine voided in 24-hour period, the resulting evaluation will be erroneous.

(5) If a “sterile” sample of urine is required, it should be obtained by catheterization. Such a sample might be necessary for a urine culture and sensitivity test. Catheterization is discussed in Section III.