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Collection of mid-stream specimens of urine

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Collection of a mid-stream specimen of urine is a procedure which is often carried out poorly. The following protocol illustrates the correct technique:

Males:

  • the patient's bladder should be full
  • the foreskin is retracted
  • the glans penis is cleaned with a sterile swab
  • the patient voids into the toilet until the bladder has been half emptied
  • a sterile container is placed in the urine stream without the patient interrupting voiding
  • voiding is completed into the toilet

Females:

  • the patients bladder should be full
  • the labia are separated and held retracted throughout the procedure
  • the vulva is cleaned with sterile swabs from front to back
  • the patient voids into the toilet until the bladder has been half emptied
  • a sterile container is placed in the urine stream without the patient interrupting voiding
  • voiding is completed into the toilet

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