Assessment
- Use simple language
- Assess for incontinence (esp. muliparous)
- Family history
- Chief concern
- Location and character of pain
- Previous UTI, stones, urinary problems
- Pattern or urination
- Color, clarity, amount of urine
- Difficulty initiating urination or changes in stream
- Changes in urinary pattern
- Dysuria, nocturia, hematuria, pyuria
Obtaining a urologic health history requires excellent communication skills, because
many patients are embarrassed or uncomfortable discussing genitourinary function or
symptoms
- History of urinary problems
- Urinary or abdominal surgeries
- Smoking, alcohol use
- Chance of pregnancy
- History of diabetes or other endocrine disorders
- Unexplained anemia
Diagnostic Tests
- Clean-catch urine
- 24-hour urine collection
- Culture and sensitivity
- BUN, creatinine and creatinine clearance = {Vol. of urine (ML/hr) x urine
creatine}/serum creatinine
BUN values are affected by protein intake, tissue breakdown, and fluid volume
changes.