Medical Assistant Prep / Unit 17 MAS 411 worked example, 60 to 90 seconds
Teaching a Clean-Catch Collection
The idea
Patients usually collect a clean-catch specimen themselves, so clear instructions determine whether the sample is usable.
In practice
Step one: give the patient a sterile container, a cleansing wipe and instructions, and label the container. Step two: tell the patient to wash their hands. Step three: the patient cleans the area. For a penis, wipe the entire head. For a vagina, separate the labia and wipe the inner sides from front to back. Step four: the patient begins urinating into the toilet, then moves the container into the stream to catch the middle portion without touching the inside of the cup. Step five: the patient finishes into the toilet, closes the lid tightly, and returns the container as instructed.
Where people slip
Skipped cleaning and a touched cup are the two things that spoil the sample, so explain both plainly and check that the patient understood.
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