Specimen Requirements

• Specimen Type: Catheter, indwelling
• Container/Tube (Preferred): 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 (Preferred): Sterile container
• Acceptable: >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 (Preferred): Sterile container
• Specimen Volume: >1 mL

1.  Carefully collect midstream urine.  Transport to laboratory as soon as possible or refrigerate immediately.