c. Procedure.
(1)
Read physician's order.
(2)
Wash hands.
(3)
Identify the patient.
(4) Post "Do not disturb" signs on patient's door, bathroom door, and near
patient's bed.
(5)
Explain procedure.
(6)
Instruct patient about the importance of collecting all urine for 24 hours.
(7)
Instruct patient not to place toilet tissue or fecal material in urine.
(8) Have patient void when the 24-hour specimen collection is to begin;
discard this voiding.
(9) Place labeled container on ice if required. (Some agencies require
refrigeration of all specimens. Others advocate that the urine container be placed on
ice. For some collection procedures, such as the creatinine clearance test, refrigeration
may not be necessary.)
(10) Save all urine for the 24-hours, then place each voided specimen into
(11) Instruct patient to void a few minutes before the end of 24 hours; this
urine is part of the 24-hour specimen.
(12) Send specimen to lab promptly; be certain label includes date and time
specimen started, patient's name, room number, and test ordered. If more than one
container is necessary, make certain both are labeled and numbered.
4-5.
DETERMINING PRESENCE OF OCCULT BLOOD IN STOOL
a. General. The presence of blood in body waste is abnormal. Blood in the
stool may be bright red, which indicates that the blood is fresh and that the site of
bleeding is in the lower gastrointestinal tract. On the other hand, black-tarry-feces
means the presence of old blood and that the site of bleeding is higher in the
gastrointestinal tract. When blood is present in the stool but cannot be seen without the
use of a microscope, it is referred to as occult or hidden. A hemoccult test detects
occult blood in feces.
MD0556
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