Terms
What occurs when the brain gives the bladder permission to empty, when the bladder contracts, the urinary sphincter relaxes and urine leaves the body through the urethra?
Micturition
A symptomatic infection of the bladder that can lead to a serious upper urinary tract infection (UTI).
Pyelonephritis
Burning or pain with urination
Dysuria
Urinary drainage tube inserted surgically into the bladder through the abdominal wall above the symphysis pubis.
Suprapubic catheter
Involuntary passage of urine often associated with a strong sense of urgency related to an overactive bladder, inflamed bladder, or bladder outlet obstruction.
Urge Urinary Incontinence
Indicates acid-base balance. The acid helps protect against bacterial growth.
Normal: 4.6-8.0
pH
Abnormally large amounts of protein found in the urine.
Proteinuria
Presence of bacteria in the urine.
Bacteriuria
Inflammation of the bladder
Cystitis
Contracting pelvic floor muscles, otherwise known as kegels.
Pelvic floor muscle training
Involuntary loss of urine occurring at somewhat predictable intervals when a patient reaches a specific bladder volume.
Reflex urinary incontinence
Sensitive indicator of kidney function.
Normal: Up to 8mg/100mL
Protein
The inability to partially or completely empty the bladder. This stretches the bladder, causes pressure, pain, tenderness, restlessness, and sometimes diaphoresis.
Urinary retention
Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI)
Hospital acquired urinary tract infection
Urination at night
Nocturia
Incontinence caused by medical conditions that in many cases are treatable and reversible.
Transient Incontinence
This type of urine is collected during normal voiding.
Used to detect UTI, blood, electrolyte disturbances or other metabolic functions.
Random (routine urinalysis)
Not normally present in urine, this finding suggests diabetes.
Glucose
Abnormal presence of blood in the urine.
Hematuria
Involuntary loss of urine
Incontinence
The production of abnormally small amounts of urine.
Oliguria
Involuntary loss of urine caused by an overdistended bladder often related to bladder outlet-obstruction or absent bladder contractions.
Overflow urinary incontinence
This type of urine is used to test for culture and sensitivity.
Cleansing with Castile wipes prior to urination is required. UA is to be collected mid-stream.
Clean-voided or midstream
This is not normally present in urine. With people with poor control of diabetes, patients experience the breakdown of fatty acids and the end products are...
Ketones
The amount of urine left in the bladder after voiding. Measured by ultrasound or straight catheterization.
Post-void residual
Small tubes that are tunnelled through the skin into the renal pelvis - used when ureters are obstructed.
Nephrostomy tubes
The placement of a tube through the urethra into the bladder to drain urine.
Catheterization
Loss of continence because of causes outside of the urinary tract.
Usually related to:
- Altered mobility
- Cognitive Impairment
- Poor motivation
- Environmental Barriers
Functional Incontinence
This type of urine collection is used to determine the presence of bacteria and to which antibiotics the bacteria are sensitive.
Sterile specimen for culture and sensitivity
Measures the concentration of urine.
Normal: 1.005-1.030
Specific Gravity
Incontinence associated with urinary retention.
Overflow incontinence
Life-threatening bloodstream infection that needs to be treated with antibiotics.
Bacteremia (urosepsis)
Permanent incontinent urinary diversion created by transplanting the ureters into a closed-off part of intestinal ileum and bringing the other end out onto the abdominal wall forming a stoma.
Ureterostomy
Involuntary leakage of small volumes of urine associated with increased intrabdominal pressure from urethral hypermobility or incompetent urinary sphincter.
Stress Urinary Incontinence
These measure bodily substance that may excrete at higher levels at certain times of the day or time periods.
Timed urine specimens
Detects if there has been any damage to the urinary tract.
Normal: Up to 2
Red Blood Cells (RBC)
Indicates infection or inflammation.
Normal: 0-4 per low power field, anything above that = infection.
White blood cells (WBC)
Indicates infection
Normal: Not present
Bacteria
Presence of these indicates renal disease.
Normal: Not present
Casts
These indicate risk for renal calculi
Normal: Not present.
Crystals