Clean catch urine collection

Outpatient Clinic and Emergency Department

Information for parents and carers of young children

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Introduction

A clean catch urine sample is required from your child. The sample is required for urinalysis or further investigation of the urine. This may be a urine culture, i.e. detection of bacteria. For this reason is it important to avoid contamination of the urine sample due to skin contact. Therefore it is called a clean catch sample.

Before you start to collect the sample

Boys Make sure the head of the penis is wiped clean with lukewarm water.

Girls Wipe the labia with lukewarm water and rinse well.

When to collect a sample

Good times to catch a sample are:

when your child had had a bottle
when you are changing a nappy
bath time.

How to collect a sample

For the very young child you can place the provided funnel into the container to help you catch the urine sample. If your child is potty trained you may want to place the provided sterile bowl into a potty and collect the urine in this. Urine can then be poured from the bowl into the sterile container.

An older child may be able to urinate directly into the container.

The first urine when your child begins to urinate may be contaminated with bacteria from the skin and should preferably not be collected.

A “mid-stream” sample is best. This can be done by catching the urine in the bottle whilst in “full flow”.

Only a small amount of urine is required.

Is there anything to avoid when taking the sample?

To avoid contamination of the sample urine should be collected without the container touching your child’s skin. Also be careful not to touch the rim of the bottle with your fingers as this may contaminate the sample with bacteria from your fingers.

Collecting and storage of urine before attending Outpatient Clinic Appointment

You should collect the urine sample a couple of hours before attending clinic unless you are instructed otherwise by the doctor. If the urine sample has been collected more than four hours before attending clinic please store in the fridge at 4-8°C between collection and hospital visit.

For further information

Outpatients Department
If you have any questions please contact Outpatient Clinic on: 0151 252 5420.

Emergency Department:
Please speak to a member of the Emergency Department staff.

This leaflet only gives general information. You must always discuss the individual treatment of your child with the appropriate member of staff. Do not rely on this leaflet alone for information about your child’s treatment.

This information can be made available in other languages and formats if requested.