a. Review the patient’s clinical record to verify the physician’s order and identify the purpose of the 24-hour specimen.<\/p>\n
(1) Urine is routinely collected for 24 hours in order to obtain a substantial quantity of urine for measuring solutes that are normally excreted in small amounts (such as hormones, proteins, and electrolytes).<\/p>\n
(2) Urine is also collected for 24 hours in order to test excretion rates in one day’s function.<\/p>\n
b. Some tests require dietary restrictions prior to and\/or during the exam. Be certain these restrictions are followed.<\/p>\n
c. Assemble the necessary equipment.<\/p>\n
(1) Twenty-four hour urine collection container. (Container should have required chemical preservatives inside, as appropriate for test.)<\/p>\n
(2) Urine collection pan\/urinal.<\/p>\n
(3) Intake and output worksheet.<\/p>\n
(4) Signs stating “twenty-four hour urine collection in progress.”<\/p>\n
(5) Urine specimens cup (if initial specimen is required).<\/p>\n
d. Approach and identify the patient.<\/p>\n
e. Explain the procedure and its purpose to the patient. Be certain the patient understands what must be done.<\/p>\n
f. At the designated time on the designated day, begin the collection.<\/p>\n
(1) A twenty-four-hour collection normally begins in the early morning, at the time of the patient’s first morning void.<\/p>\n
(2) Instruct the patient to empty his bladder. (Sometimes, a specimen is collected at this time. If not required, discard the urine.)<\/p>\n
(3) Record the time the patient emptied his bladder in the patient’s chart and on the twenty-four hour collection container. This is the start time.<\/p>\n
g. Instruct the patient that all urine voided for the next 24 hours must be saved and placed into the twenty-four hour collection container.<\/p>\n
(1) Provide the patient with a urine collection pan or urinal, as appropriate.<\/p>\n
(2) Instruct the patient to notify the nursing staff each time he urinates into the collection pan, so the urine can be measured and added to the twenty-four hour collection container.<\/p>\n
(3) Record each voiding on the I & O sheet, if required.<\/p>\n
h. Post signs saying ” twenty-four hour urine collection in progress” on the patient’s chart, the bed, the door, and in the bathroom, as appropriate.<\/p>\n
i. Once the first urine specimen has been placed into the twenty-four hour collection container, the container must be kept on ice or in a specimen refrigerator (never, a food refrigerator).<\/p>\n
j. The following day, at the same time the test was initiated, ask the patient to void one last time. This specimen is added to the twenty-four hour collection container.<\/p>\n
k. Record date and time of completion on the container and in the patient’s chart. Remove “24-hour urine collection in progress” signs.<\/p>\n
l. Complete the appropriate laboratory request slips and transport the specimen to the laboratory within 30 minutes of completion.<\/p>\n
m. Record the procedure and significant nursing observations in the patient’s clinical records.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
a. Review the patient’s clinical record to verify the physician’s order and identify the purpose of the 24-hour specimen. (1) Urine is routinely collected for 24 hours in order to obtain a substantial quantity of urine for measuring solutes that are normally excreted in small amounts (such as hormones, proteins, and electrolytes). (2) Urine is … Continue reading 2-12. COLLECTING A TWENTY-FOUR HOUR SPECIMEN<\/span>