Urine dip and analysis

Gather equipment Alcohol gel Gloves Apron Urine dipsticks Urine sample Paper towels

Inspect urine 1. Wash hands, put on gloves and apron 2. Confirm patient details are correct on the sample bottle – name/DOB/hospital number3. Inspect the colour of the urine

a. Straw coloured = normal b. Dark coloured = dehydration c. Red = macroscopic haematuria/rifampicin/porphyria/beetroot d. Brown = bile pigments

4. Inspect the clarity of the urine a. Clear = normal b. Cloudy/debris = UTI c. Frothy = nephrotic syndrome

5. Remove the sample bottles’ cap and assess urine odour:a. Offensive urine – UTI b. Sweet – glycosuria

Perform dip stick testing 1. Check urine dipsticks expiry date 2. Remove testing strip from the container – avoid touching the testing zones 3. Insert test strip into urine sample – ensuring all zones are fully immersed 4. Remove the strip, ensuring to tap off residual urine before removing from the sample bottle 5. Ensure test strip remains in a horizontal orientation 6. Use the dipstick analysis guide on the side of the testing strip contained to interpret the findings 7. Different tests on the strip are required to be read at different times, so ensure you interpret the

appropriate test at the correct time interval 8. Once you have interpreted all of the tests, discard the strip into the clinical waste bin along with

your gloves and apron 9. Wash hands

To complete … Summarise findings Document urinalysis results Indicate that depending on the results the further tests may be required:

o Raised WCC/leukocytes = UTI so send for a MDU o Raised glucose – DM – capillary blood glucose if never been tested, may need

Tests explained pH – indicates acidity of the urine low for acidosis specific gravity – indicates amount of solute dissolved – reduced in DI Blood – indicates number of red blood cells in the urine raised = haematuria Protein – if raised could be nephrotic syndrome Leukocyte esterase – indicates WCC in urine – raised in a UTI

Nitrites – breakdown products of gram negative organisms eg E.Coli Ketones – breakdown product of fatty acid metabolism – raised in starvation and DKA Glucose – hyperglycaemia will be raised – poorly controlled DM Bilirubin – biliary tract obstruction Urobilinogen – if raised indicates high bilirubin turnover – haemolytic anaemia

Use this for more http://patient.info/doctor/urine-dipstick-analysis