Why Is Urine Testing Using A Dip-Stick Is An Important Part Of Your Job?
1. Urine testing using a dip-stick is an important part of your job; why, and what does the doctor learn from this type of testing?
The reagent strip, or dipstick test, is a simple diagnostic tool that is commonly used in the physician’s office laboratory (POL). It is primarily used during standard urinalysis to detect pathological changes in a patient’s urine; this is achieved with the pad on the strip, which contains a chemical that reacts with sodium, potassium, and other positively charged ions. This device tests for the presence of the following:
• acetone
• bilirubin
• glucose
• hemoglobin or blood
• ketones
• leukocyte esterase
• nitrite
• pH
• protein
• specific gravity in the range of 1.005 to 1.030
• urobilinogen
It can also detect …show more content…
• Immediately wash off any spilled preservative with water and call the designated laboratory or testing center.
It is important to communicate effectively with the patient to ensure that instructions are properly understood and therefore followed correctly. Any questions the patient may have should be promptly and effectively answered by the Medical Assistant – they should also be available to assist clients as required.
3. When you take a sample from the patient (in a urine bottle) and are going to do a dip-stick test before sending the urine to the laboratory for culture and sensitivity, why do you split up the urine into another bottle? What is the reasoning behind this step in your testing?
Urine is typically split before administering a dip-stick test so that one vial can be tested and the other stored. Then, if the first sample tests positive then the second specimen can be used for further analysis. The second sample can be used for culture and sensitivity testing, retesting, or second testing as required. If the collected specimen was used entirely during the initial procedure, there would be no margin for error and any secondary measures that were necessary could not be performed. Obtaining a second sample would hinder the results; the data would be rendered invalid and an entirely new testing process would begin with a fresh sample
The reagent strip, or dipstick test, is a simple diagnostic tool that is commonly used in the physician’s office laboratory (POL). It is primarily used during standard urinalysis to detect pathological changes in a patient’s urine; this is achieved with the pad on the strip, which contains a chemical that reacts with sodium, potassium, and other positively charged ions. This device tests for the presence of the following:
• acetone
• bilirubin
• glucose
• hemoglobin or blood
• ketones
• leukocyte esterase
• nitrite
• pH
• protein
• specific gravity in the range of 1.005 to 1.030
• urobilinogen
It can also detect …show more content…
• Immediately wash off any spilled preservative with water and call the designated laboratory or testing center.
It is important to communicate effectively with the patient to ensure that instructions are properly understood and therefore followed correctly. Any questions the patient may have should be promptly and effectively answered by the Medical Assistant – they should also be available to assist clients as required.
3. When you take a sample from the patient (in a urine bottle) and are going to do a dip-stick test before sending the urine to the laboratory for culture and sensitivity, why do you split up the urine into another bottle? What is the reasoning behind this step in your testing?
Urine is typically split before administering a dip-stick test so that one vial can be tested and the other stored. Then, if the first sample tests positive then the second specimen can be used for further analysis. The second sample can be used for culture and sensitivity testing, retesting, or second testing as required. If the collected specimen was used entirely during the initial procedure, there would be no margin for error and any secondary measures that were necessary could not be performed. Obtaining a second sample would hinder the results; the data would be rendered invalid and an entirely new testing process would begin with a fresh sample