Equipment
Specimen container—disposable plastic cups are
preferred
Procedure
1. Random specimens may be collected at any time.
2. Instruct the patient to urinate into the specimen
container.
3. Seal the container tightly and transport the speci-
men immediately.
Sources of Variability
1. The specimen container should be chemically
clean.
2. Perform the examination of the urine im-
mediately, that is, on fresh, warm urine. Delay
will result in the disappearance of leukocytes,
casts, and bilirubin; the appearance of crystals
and crystal aggregates; and the proliferation of
bacteria with resultant pH changes.
Specimen Collection Procedures A-15
URINE: RANDOM COLLECTION
