NHA Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT)Collection RoutineHard
A phlebotomy technician is instructing a patient on how to collect a 24-hour urine specimen. Which of the following instructions is most important to include?
- AAdd a preservative tablet to the container at the beginning of collection.
- BCollect the first morning void of the second day.
- CRefrigerate the specimen throughout the collection period.
- DDiscard the last void of the 24-hour period.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Refrigerate the specimen throughout the collection period.
To prevent bacterial growth and degradation of analytes, 24-hour urine specimens must be kept refrigerated or on ice throughout the entire collection period. This maintains the integrity of the specimen for accurate testing.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. While some 24-hour urine collections do require a preservative, this is test-specific. Refrigeration is a general and critical requirement for almost all 24-hour urine collections unless specified otherwise.
- B. The first morning void of the *first* day is discarded, and collection starts immediately after. The last void of the 24-hour period is included.
- D. The last void of the 24-hour period (at the exact same time the collection started on the previous day) is the *final* specimen to be included in the collection.
24-Hour Urine Specimen Collection
A 24-hour urine specimen requires collecting all urine produced over a full day. Critical steps include discarding the first void, collecting all subsequent voids, and proper preservation (usually refrigeration).
- Discard first morning void on day 1, then collect.
- Collect last void at same time on day 2.
- Keep refrigerated or on ice.
Memory trick: 24 hours of pee, keep it cold for me!