• Brigitte M Baumann, Kathryn McCans, Sarah A Stahmer, Mary B Leonard, Justine Shults, and William C Holmes.
• Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Camden, NJ 08103, USA. baumann-b@cooperhealth.edu
• Am J Emerg Med. 2008 Jan 1;26(1):18-23.

ObjectiveThe objective of the study was to determine whether the use of volumetric ultrasound by trained pediatric emergency department (ED) nurses improves first-attempt urine collection success rates.MethodsThis randomized controlled trial was conducted in children aged < or = 36 months requiring diagnostic urine samples. Children were randomized to either the conventional (nonimaged) or the ultrasound arm. Demographics, number of catheterizations required for success, postponements, and collection times were recorded.ResultsForty-five children were assigned to the conventional and 48 to the ultrasound arm (n = 93). First-attempt success rates were higher in the ultrasound arm: 67% (conventional) vs 92% (ultrasound) (P = .003). Both urinalysis and culture were less likely to be completed on conventional group specimens (91% vs 100%; P = .04). However, mean conventional group urine collection time was less than the ultrasound group's collection time (12 vs 28 minutes; P < .001).ConclusionsAlthough there is a time delay, urine collection in the ultrasound arm generated a significant improvement over conventional catheterization in obtaining an adequate urine sample.

12 keywords...

hide…