CNA Certification (Written Exam)Basic Nursing SkillsHard
A nurse aide is assigned to collect a 24-hour urine specimen for a resident. The resident voids at 7:00 AM and this urine is discarded to begin the collection. What is the correct procedure for the rest of the collection?
- ADiscard all urine until 7:00 AM the next day, then collect only that final sample
- BCollect urine only during daytime hours and discard any produced overnight
- CCollect and save every voiding for the next 24 hours, including the final voiding at 7:00 AM the next day
- DSave only the first and last voidings of the 24-hour period
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Collect and save every voiding for the next 24 hours, including the final voiding at 7:00 AM the next day
For a 24-hour urine collection, the first voiding is discarded to mark the start time, and every voiding thereafter is saved in the collection container, including the final voiding exactly 24 hours later, to ensure the complete volume is accurately measured.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Discarding all urine defeats the purpose of collecting a full 24-hour sample.
- B. Overnight urine must be included for an accurate 24-hour total.
- D. Only saving first and last voids would miss most of the urine output.
24-Hour Urine Specimen
A collection of all urine produced over a 24-hour period, starting with a discarded first void and ending with a saved void exactly 24 hours later.
- First void is discarded to start timing
- All subsequent voids for 24 hours are saved
- Final void at the 24-hour mark is included, not discarded
Memory trick: 'Toss the first, keep the rest, catch the last!'