CNA Certification (Written Exam)Basic Nursing SkillsMedium
A nurse aide is asked to obtain a routine urine specimen from a resident. Which of the following is the most important step to ensure the specimen is suitable for testing?
- ACollect the first urine of the morning.
- BEnsure the specimen is collected in a clean, non-sterile container.
- CTransport the specimen to the lab within 4 hours of collection.
- DLabel the specimen container immediately after collection with the resident's full name, room number, date, and time.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Label the specimen container immediately after collection with the resident's full name, room number, date, and time.
Proper labeling of any specimen is critical to prevent errors in identification and ensure that the test results are attributed to the correct resident. Mislabeling or unlabeled specimens can lead to incorrect diagnoses and treatment.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. While the first morning urine is often preferred for certain tests due to concentration, for a 'routine' specimen, proper labeling is more crucial than the timing for suitability.
- B. A routine urine specimen can be collected in a clean, non-sterile container, but ensuring it's specifically suitable for testing requires proper identification.
- C. Timely transport is important, but an unlabeled specimen, even if transported quickly, is unusable.
Specimen Labeling Importance
Accurate and immediate labeling of all specimens with resident's full name, room number, date, and time is critical to prevent identification errors.
- Prevents misdiagnosis and wrong treatment.
- Mandatory for all types of specimens.
- Must be done immediately after collection.
Memory trick: Label Right, Test Right, Treat Right.