NHA Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT)Collection RoutineHard
A phlebotomy technician is collecting blood for a 24-hour urine specimen. Which of the following instructions should the technician give the patient regarding the collection process?
- ACollect urine at specific intervals throughout the day for 24 hours.
- BCollect the first morning urine on the first day, then discard all subsequent urine for 24 hours.
- CCollect all urine, including the first morning urine, for exactly 24 hours.
- DDiscard the first morning urine on the first day, then collect all subsequent urine for 24 hours.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Discard the first morning urine on the first day, then collect all subsequent urine for 24 hours.
For a 24-hour urine collection, the patient should typically discard the first morning urine on day one to ensure the collection starts with an empty bladder. All subsequent urine, including the first morning urine on day two (at approximately the same time as the discard on day one), must be collected to capture a full 24-hour excretion.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. 24-hour urine collection requires collecting *all* urine, not just at specific intervals; interval collection is for different tests.
- B. Discarding all subsequent urine after the first morning urine is incorrect and would not yield a 24-hour sample.
- C. Collecting the first morning urine on day one would include urine accumulated overnight before the collection period truly begins, leading to an inaccurate result.
24-Hour Urine Collection
A method of collecting all urine produced over a 24-hour period to measure the total amount of specific substances excreted by the kidneys.
- Discard first morning void on Day 1.
- Collect all subsequent urine for 24 hours.
- Include first morning void on Day 2 to complete the 24 hours.
- Keep specimen refrigerated.
Memory trick: First Discard, Then Collect All, Until Day Two's First Call.