Specimen Requirements

Specimen Type: Urine

Container/Tube: Sterile container or BD Tiger Top Vacutainer and BD Grey Top Vacutainer

Specimen Volume: 10 mL

Specimen Minumum Volume: 2 mL sterile cup, 8 mL BD tiger-top, 3 mL BD grey-top vacutainer.  Note minimum/maximum fill lines.

Collection Instructions:

1. Collect a random, first-morning urine collection.

2. Overnight incubation in bladder yields highest bacterial counts.

3. Specimen collected at other times are acceptable.

Specimen Rejection:

1. When sending BD Vacutainer tubes, the lab must receive both a red/yellow tiger top tube and a grey top tube.  Tiger top tubes are suitable for urinalysis only and grey top tubes are suitable for culture only.

2. Urine samples exceeding specimen stability.

3. Urine samples <2 mL in volume. 

4. Urine samples below minimum fill line for BD vacutainers.

Males

1. Before beginning collection, wash hands with soap and water.

2. Circumcised patients clean beginning of urethra with provided towelette.

3. Uncircumcised patients withdraw foreskin and clean beginning of urethra with provided antiseptic towelette.

4. Urinate a small amount into toilet, then collect a midstream portion of urine into container, void remainder into toilet.

5. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.

Females

1. Before beginning collection, wash hands with soap and water.

2. Thoroughly clean urethral area with soap and water or with provided antiseptic towelette.
3. While holding labia apart urinate a small amount into toilet, then collect a midstream portion of urine into container, void remainder into toilet.

4. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.