24-Hour and Overnight Urine Sample Collection

This leaflet tells you how to collect 24-hour and overnight urine samples.

Your doctor has asked you to collect a 24-hour or overnight urine sample for testing in the laboratory. You must follow the right instructions to make sure your sample is suitable for testing.

Your doctor will have told you to either collect:

• a 24 hour urine sample

or

• an overnight urine sample.

Please make sure you follow the correct instructions.

Do not collect your sample on a Friday, Saturday or Bank Holiday, as you will need to take your sample to your GP surgery or directly to the hospital Clinical Pathology Laboratory when it is complete; and your GP surgery and the laboratory will be closed on these days.

While you are collecting your sample you must store it in a cool place, (but not your fridge) until you can take it to your GP surgery or the laboratory.

If you spill the preservative:

• Do not touch the mixture.
• Wearing rubber gloves, sweep it up using a dustpan and brush and empty it down the sink with large amounts of cold water.
• Wash the area where it was spilled, the brush, dustpan and gloves with more cold water and get a new bottle from your GP or laboratory.

How do I collect my 24-hour urine sample?

As soon as you get up in the morning, empty your bladder. Do not save this urine.

Note the time, as this becomes the starting time of your collection.

Write this in the space for start time on the container you have been given.

You must:

• collect all urine you pass during the rest of the day and night and add it to your collection bottle. You may find it easier to pass your urine into an old jug, and then pour it immediately into your collection bottle. If you get up during the night to visit the toilet, add this urine to your collection bottle.

• try to get up the next morning at the same time, for example, 7.00am both days, empty your bladder and add this urine to your collection bottle.

Your 24-hour urine sample is now complete.

Make sure your full name, address and date of birth are written on your collection bottle as well as the start and end dates and times of your collection. If this information is not on the bottle, the laboratory will not be able to test your sample and another sample may need to be collected.

Take your urine collection bottle, and the request form your doctor gave you, to either your GP surgery or Clinical Pathology Laboratory at your local hospital.

How do I collect my overnight urine sample?

Before you go to bed, empty your bladder, do not save this urine.

You must:

• empty your bladder as soon as you get up in the morning and pour it into your collection bottle. You may find it easier to pass your urine into an old jug and then pour it immediately into your collection bottle

• add any urine you pass during the night to your collection bottle.

Your overnight urine sample is now complete.

Make sure your full name, address and date of birth are written on your collection bottle as well as the start and end dates and times of your collection. If this information is not on the bottle, the laboratory will not be able to test your sample and another sample will need to be collected.

Take your urine collection bottle and the request form your doctor gave you, to either your GP surgery or Clinical Pathology Laboratory at your local hospital.

What if I am asked to collect a different type of urine sample?

If you are asked to provide a midstream (MSU) or early morning (EMU) urine sample for other tests, please ask your doctor or nurse to tell you how these should be collected.

Contact numbers

North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust

Clinical Pathology Laboratory
Telephone: 01642 624464
Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 8:00pm

If you have any worries or concerns, you should contact your GP during normal surgery hours. Outside surgery hours, you should contact your GP’s surgery for the Out of Hours Service number.

Further information is available from:

NHS website
Website: www.nhs.uk

Patient Experience Team (PET)

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust would like your feedback. If you would like to share your experience about your care and treatment or on behalf of a patient, please contact The Patient Experience Team who will help you to do this.

This service is based at the University Hospital of North Tees but also covers the University Hospital of Hartlepool, our community hospitals and community health services.

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust

Telephone: 01642 624719 / Freephone: 0800 092 0084
Email: [email protected]
Monday to Friday, 9:30 am to 4:00 pm

Out of hours if you wish to speak to a senior member of Trust staff, please contact the hospital switchboard (numbers below).

University Hospital of North Tees
Hardwick Road
Stockton-on-Tees
TS19 8PE
Telephone: 01642 617617

University Hospital of Hartlepool
Holdforth Road
Hartlepool
TS24 9AH
Telephone: 01642 617617