The provider prescribes a urine test. Which is the most important information for the nurse to consider before collecting the urine specimen needed for the test?

Question

1. The specimen collection precedes the antibiotic.
2. Urine aspirate from the collection bag is suitable.
3. The urine test requires sending a sterile specimen.
4. The client provides self-care of perineum properly.

Answer 1

3
3. The most important information for the nurse to know is whether the specimen needs to be sterile. If the test requires a sterile specimen, the nurse uses sterile tech-nique to collect an uncontaminated specimen. If not, collecting the specimen with clean technique is adequate. The client's ability to cleanse the perineum, using urine aspirate, and determining if specimen collection needs to precede the antibiotic are decisions answered by determining if the procedure needs to be sterile.
1. If the specimen needs to be sterile, the test is a urine culture, usually, and obtaining the culture always precedes antibiotic therapy.
2. Urine aspirate from the bladder, not the collection bag, is suitable for a urine spe-cimen.
4. If the client is unable to cleanse properly, the nurse assists the client in hygiene and specimen collection.