Renal Diagnostics

5-25 mg/dL

• Blood test.
• Measures urea, the end product of protein metabolism.
• May be elevated in dehydration, vomiting, diarrhea, digested blood, or prerenal/renal failure.

• No special prep.
• If client dehydrated, the elevated levels should return to normal with hydration.
• If not, this is an indicator of renal disease.

• 0.5-1.5 mg/dL
• (older adults may have decreased values due to decreased muscle mass.

• Blood test used to dx kidney dysfunction.
• Byproduct of muscle breakdown.
• Secreted by the kidneys.
• When 50% or more nephrons are destroyed, serum creatinine rises.

• No special prep is needed.
• Values may be elevated by antibiotics, ascorbic acid, L-dopa, methyldopa, and lithium carbonate.
• Value no affected by hydration status.

Examiniation of the constituents of a sample of urine to establish baseline, provide data for diagnosis, or monitor results of tx.

• Provide a clean specimen cup for a sample of urine.
• Note if female client is menstruating.
• Assess medications, fluid status, and foods that might affect UA results.

Used to identify the causative organism of a UTI.

• <10,000 organisms/mL
• Some organisms are expected. While urine is sterile, the urethra contains bacteria and a few WBCs.
• Values of >100,000 organisms/mL indicate UTI.

• Provide client with sterile container.
• Ask woman to separate labia with one hand and clean labia with the other, using sterile cotton sponges saturated with a cleansing solution, and wiping 3 times front to back.
• Ask men to retract the foreskin and cleans the glans in a circular motion away from urethra with 3 different cotton sponges with cleansing solution.