

Carrying urine sample in a cup across busy Dr surgery...ok?

(39 Posts)
MrsMargoLeadbetter Thu 16-May-13 10:22:13

I went to my local midwife today. Last time I saw her was for booking in, rest of my appointments have been at the hospital due to high risk. The hospital provided sample pots for urine.

So today I asked for a urine sample pot and the local midwife mumbled something about not weeing on the stick (not really sure what she meant, it sounded a bit made up to be honest!) and to see if there was a "cup around the corner".

As it was I'd brought a disposable cup to aid the process, so used that. But that resulted in me walking with an open urine sample across the busy surgery & then back again when she asked me to get rid of it at the end of the appointment.

At 35 weeks most of my dignity has gone to be honest (!) but I did wonder about this process and would have patients (eg not pregnant women) be asked to do this?

I did think it is probably to do with cuts. I would (and will) happily take in a re-usable bowl (cleaned between uses) for next time.

Why I posting is that I am planning to attend my local Maternity Service Liaison Committee on Friday at the hospital as I am free and I know from getting involved on behalf of the NCT last time they are always desperate for actual service users to attend.

However, I am not sure if I am being precious about this. It is only wee and I am sure some approaches in healthcare have gone too far due to health & safety etc.

What happens at your appointments?!?!

TinkyPeet Thu 16-May-13 10:42:40

I think it's unusual not to have some of the white screw lid sample tubes. Maybe order a coue from amazon? Think they're really cheap an would give you peace of mind x

Fakebook Thu 16-May-13 10:51:34

Eew. That's pretty disgusting. What if someone had knocked the cup over or you'd tripped? I'm sure that's not allowed, and it's hazardous and unhygienic.

At our surgery they give you big universal tubes at every visit for next time. When they've tested the urine they throw the whole bottle in the yellow bins that are stored inside the cupboard under the sink in the room. The patient is never expected to bring their sample in a pot/cup from home. If you ask at reception they always give you a sample pot/tube.

HannahLaRouge Thu 16-May-13 10:52:33

My surgery doesn't provide them, so I got a couple of sample pots from Boots - 40p each from the pharmacy smile

NatashaBee Thu 16-May-13 10:57:32

Don't the used pots have to go in the clinical waste bin? Surely they should be ensuring this happens. Not to mention that if you bring in your own pot it could potentially be contaminated and give flawed results.

BraveLilBear Thu 16-May-13 11:38:02

That's gross. I thought we had it bad - I was assigned a personal pee cup at my 16 week appointment and told to bring it full every time. Didn't expect for this to then be handed back to me. Full. So walking round with pots of my own urine is becoming normal.

I'm looking forward to seeing my GP again for my 34 week appointment as he very kindly emptied it out and rinsed it before handing it back!

Would definitely complain about having to walk anywhere with an open pot of urine. It's just wrong. Not to mention Health & Safety etc.

BentleyBelly Thu 16-May-13 12:30:54

My midwife just sends me into the loo with the little stick and I pee straight onto it, she says she understands how hard it is to aim into a tube when you can't see under your bump! I would not be happy carrying an open cup of my own wee across the drs surgery, if I have to use a universal I wrap it in tissue. Maybe write a note to the surgery manager?

MrsMargoLeadbetter Thu 16-May-13 13:55:58

Thanks Ladies.

I just wanted to check I wasn't being too sensitive!

There are notices on the wall referring to urine sample tubes, so I am guessing this is a new thing.

If I was told previously that I should bring my own I would have.

Just think it is the sort of small thing that can make antenatal services slightly more pleasant, so will feedback to the MSLC and see what they say!

cogitosum Thu 16-May-13 14:00:12

I have one that I'm expected to take home and empty and bring back each time.

alternatively at the hospital I've been asked to use a foam cup and leave it in the toilet on a trolley.

Locketjuice Thu 16-May-13 14:07:01

I think that's awful! I would have to say something!

GoodbyePorkPie Thu 16-May-13 14:12:45

I think that's gross. I would also worry that I'd absent mindedly take a sip if I had to wait to take it anywhere.

festive Thu 16-May-13 14:13:05

Erm this sounds utterly bonkers!
I get given a new pot (clear plastic with red lid) each time and told to bring it in with a sample to the following appt.
When she's checked it the midwife then screws the lid back on tightly and throws the whole thing in the clinical waste bin. Same thing happens at my hospital appts too.

Monka Thu 16-May-13 14:19:38

I get given a pot as well with a red screw lid. I get given one for the next appt so I can pee at home just before I get to the doctors.

salcz Thu 16-May-13 14:30:02

I was given a pot with a screw lid at the beginning of my pregnancy and was told to bring a sample to every appt. The MW washed it out each time for me to use next time.

zipzap Thu 16-May-13 14:33:03

When I was pg I was given a new pot at the end of each visit ready to use for the next visit. 2DC, each pg in a different location.

Dsis when she was pg - given one pot and told to reuse it throughout pg. Don't think it is particularly hygienic or sensible - surely there's a risk that germs will grow in it between uses even if well rinsed out, or potential for contamination etc.

Definitely think that they need to sort this - either by giving people sticks to pee on and then bring back through the surgery or by having pots to pee in. Anything open through an open surgery is asking for trouble.

if cost is a justification then I think it's a really sad indictment on the state of maternity services that they can't afford a pee pot for each sample! I bet there are other conditions where people need to bring a pee sample in on a regular basis - and I bet that they don't need to reuse the same one each time!

Fakebook Thu 16-May-13 14:35:17

GoodbyePorkPie, I'm retching thanks to your comment! But it's totally possible!

GoodbyePorkPie Thu 16-May-13 14:47:25

Sorry Fakebook, should've thought before posting a comment like that where nauseous pregnant woman would read it!

attilascupcakes Thu 16-May-13 14:55:26

I was expected to resuse the same pot for my whole pregnancy as well, so that seems to be standard, slightly gross, practice.
At an appointment at the GD clinic I went into the toilet and there was about twenty open pots of wee all lined up on the shelf. Cue one massively nauseous pregnant woman!

wispa31 Thu 16-May-13 16:09:10

lol i had a mw appt last week and had forgot to pick up some sample pots with lids last time i was in the surgery. i ended up weeing in a wee foil dish thing i had a few of in cupboard. then i covered with tinfoil and put in a sandwich bag to take to appt. i gave it to dp to hold as i was driving and it ended up leaking all over his hands. he was not impressed such a pansy, its only a bit of wee
when i got to surgery i went to treatment nurse bay and they gave me a lidded sample pot for me to put what was left of my sample into.

drcharliegirl Thu 16-May-13 16:23:31

all urines should go into a STERILE pot as if there is any abnormality on the dip they need to send it to the lab. That means no washing out and re-using and definitely NO FOAM CUPS!!!

Crazy bananas.

Complain to the practice manager.

Futterby Thu 16-May-13 20:40:12

I wondered about this too!! I went to A&E a few weeks ago and they gave me a metal bowl to pee in and I had to walk in front of everyone else in A&E with a bowl of pee... I covered it with paper towels but they fell a bit in the middle so I had a bowl of pee with some soggy paper towels paraded in front of the whole A&E department... I'm pretty sure they're not allowed to do it but I didn't take it further. confused

Beatrixpotty Thu 16-May-13 20:48:03

I'm a GP and I have never worked anywhere where a patient would be expected to do that.They should give you a sterile screw top bottle.But there have been other threads here too about women being asked to wash & re-use their sample bottles at the next appt or even supply their own which is equally bad .
Definitely complain.Bad practice and a bit humiliating for you as a patient.

Finallygotaroundtoit Thu 16-May-13 20:56:45

If the pots are 40p each and get thrown away at every visit that's a lot of waste. And eww for the cleaner emptying bags of wee if they leak.

When I was preggers we did sample at home take it in then home to empty and rinse. I was told it was just for routine check not for sending to the lab

In my area you get a bottle when you first see midwife, you reuse and clean it each time. Must say carrying around a cup of urine isn't very nice and no wonder you felt embarrassed, the only good point about the cups is that they are probably easier to pee intogrin, Im not looking forward to using my pee bottle as most of my wee ends up in the loogrin

TinkyPeet Fri 17-May-13 07:25:56

Pumpkin - I bought a small plastic beaker/jug thing that I keep ontop of my bathroom cabinet just for doing my samples in, then just pour into screw lid pot, makes it so much easier than trying to aim into a test tube lol

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