How to use urine test strips
We are now going to look at how to actually
test a urine sample. There are two typical types of test kit you will have. This is the
most common one which has 10 different test structures. And this one is a single pot that
you put urine in and it will indicate directly what the conditions there are. This particular
one here is for drugs, but you can get different single pot tests available. So what we are
going to do now is have a look at the multi-test one. This is the most common one you are gonna
be involved with. You take your urine sample, it does not need to be a large urine sample.
Pour it into a pot like this, or other types of pot are available. Undo the lid, and if
you just pull out one of the sticks and then you dip that into the urine. You need to look
at the instructions clearly because you need to know how long that needs to be in the urine
for. Because some of them won't react unless a certain amount of time has passed. Once
you have done that, then on this side you will see the actual thing you are testing
for, and each one of these little strips indicates the colour, so you can literally just hold
that against the bottle so you can see what level that particular test is. So in this
example here, you can just follow it against each of the different tests. The important
thing with this is obviously it has got traces of urine on it so you will need to be wearing
gloves, and also try and avoid touching the stick onto the bottle. Because then, again,
you are potentially transferring infection across. So you just need to hold it across
and just see which colour represents. And underneath here, you will see what the actual
figure is. Once you have finished with that, you put this lid back on to the pot. And this
will be disposed of in the clinical waste. Once you have disposed of it, obviously you
make sure you take your gloves off, dispose of those, and wash your hands thoroughly.
How to Test a Urine Sample: Step-by-Step Guide
Types of Test Kits
There are two common types of urine test kits:
- Multi-Test Kit: This kit typically contains 10 different test structures for various substances.
- Single Pot Test: A single pot test indicates specific conditions directly.
Important Note:
Ensure to follow specific instructions provided with the test kit for accurate results.
Testing Process
- Take a urine sample and pour it into the provided pot.
- Retrieve one test strip from the kit and dip it into the urine.
- Refer to the instructions to determine the required duration for the strip to remain in the urine.
- After the specified time, observe the colour changes on the strip.
- Compare the colours on the strip with the reference chart provided.
- Note down the results for each test.
- Dispose of the used test strip and pot in clinical waste.
- Remove gloves and wash hands thoroughly.
Key Points to Remember:
- Handle the test strip with gloves to prevent contamination.
- Avoid touching the strip to the bottle to prevent cross-contamination.
- Dispose of used materials properly to maintain hygiene.