Specimen Requirements

Specimen must be refrigerated and arrive within 24 hours of collection. If transferred to a grey top culture tube, it is stable 48-72 hours refrigerated.

Specimen Type: Catheter, indwelling
Collection Container/Tube: Syringe

Submission Container/Tube: Sterile container
Specimen Volume: >1 mL
Collection Instructions:
1. Avoid sending urine that has remained stagnant in catheter tubing for any length of time; do not send catheter bag urine; and avoid sending urine from catheters that have been in place longer than 5 to 9 days.
2. Clean catheter collection port with 70% alcohol.

3. Puncture with sterile needle and collect 5 mL to 10 mL of urine in sterile syringe.
4. Transfer >1 mL of urine into sterile container. Mix well.

5. Label container with patient’s name, identification number, date and time of collection, and type of specimen.
 

Specimen Type: Catheter, straight (in and out)

Container/Tube: Sterile container
Specimen Volume: >1 mL
Collection Instructions:
1. Thoroughly cleanse urethral area with soap and water.

2. Rinse with gauze pads.

3. Aseptically insert catheter into bladder.

4. Allow approximately 15 mL to pass; then collect >1 mL of urine in sterile container. Mix well.

Additional Information: This collection is not recommended for routine urine culture because of potential contamination problems. Procedure may introduce urethral flora into bladder.

Specimen Type: Clean-catch, midstream

Container/Tube: Sterile container
Specimen Volume: >1 mL
Collection Instructions:  Carefully collect midstream urine.  Transport to laboratory as soon as possible or refrigerate immediately.