True or False: Part of the phlebotomist's job may be to instruct a patient on how to collect a clean catch midstream urine specimen.

Prepare for the CalRegional Phlebotomy Exam with practice tests, flashcards, and multiple choice questions. Each question is equipped with helpful hints and explanations. Get ready to ace your certification!

Multiple Choice

True or False: Part of the phlebotomist's job may be to instruct a patient on how to collect a clean catch midstream urine specimen.

Part of ensuring a valid urine test is teaching the patient how to collect a clean catch midstream. This technique requires the patient to clean the genital area, begin urinating, then collect the urine midstream into a sterile container, avoiding contamination from skin or vaginal/rectal flora. The phlebotomist (or the testing facility) may provide instructions or demonstrate the steps, answer questions, and supervise to make sure the sample is collected correctly and labeled properly. Doing so helps prevent contamination that could alter results and reduce the need for recollection. If someone wonders why this is not just the patient’s responsibility, the point is that phlebotomists often handle the collection of urine specimens and have a role in instructing the patient to ensure accuracy and safety, which is why the statement is true.

Part of ensuring a valid urine test is teaching the patient how to collect a clean catch midstream. This technique requires the patient to clean the genital area, begin urinating, then collect the urine midstream into a sterile container, avoiding contamination from skin or vaginal/rectal flora. The phlebotomist (or the testing facility) may provide instructions or demonstrate the steps, answer questions, and supervise to make sure the sample is collected correctly and labeled properly. Doing so helps prevent contamination that could alter results and reduce the need for recollection.

If someone wonders why this is not just the patient’s responsibility, the point is that phlebotomists often handle the collection of urine specimens and have a role in instructing the patient to ensure accuracy and safety, which is why the statement is true.

More practice questions