Catheter specimen of urine from a feverish man
RCSI OSCE practice station
Aseptic technique · 1 min to read · 10 min to perform
Take and record observations.
Mr Michael RyanI'm freezing, nurse. And I don't know what's the matter with me.
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You are the nurse on a medical ward. Mr Michael Ryan, aged 74, has a long-term urinary catheter and has become shivery and more confused since this morning. His urine looks cloudy. A healthcare assistant is available. Introduce yourself, confirm his identity and assess him. Take and record observations. Decide whether to collect a catheter specimen of urine and show and say how you would do so using aseptic non-touch technique. Decide who you must tell and telephone the doctor using ISBAR if you think it is needed. Explain what you are doing to him and record the care.
What this station tests
- Collect catheter specimens from the sampling port, not the drainage bag.
- Use aseptic non-touch technique and label the specimen at the bedside.
- New confusion scores 3 on INEWS and is a red flag on the sepsis screening tool.
- Take cultures before antibiotics unless this would delay antibiotics by more than 45 minutes.
- Use ISBAR and read the plan back.
Sources for the clinical content
- HSE: sepsis screening tool for adults (September 2025)
- National Clinical Guideline No. 26: sepsis management for adults, summary
- Nursing Times: obtaining a catheter specimen of urine
- HSE: urinary catheter
- Association for Safe Aseptic Practice: ANTT
- National Clinical Guideline No. 1: INEWS V2 summary, including the scoring key
- HSE: ISBAR communication tool
- NMBI: Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics
- RCSI: overseas aptitude test preparation (public topic list)
An original practice scenario with invented patients. Not an exam question.