A patient who is in the second trimester of pregnancy reports urinary urgency and nocturia.The urine dipstick results are negative for nitrite and positive for leukocyte esterase.Which orders should the nurse anticipate when reporting this result to the requesting health-care provider?
A)Begin cephalexin (Keflex)intravenously.
B)Obtain a clean-catch, midstream urine specimen for culture.
C)Obtain a sterile specimen with a straight catheterization.
D)Repeat urine dipstick with first morning specimen.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A positive result for leukocyte esterase indicates the presence of white blood cells in the urine, which suggests a urinary tract infection (UTI). The negative nitrite result does not rule out a UTI, as some bacteria do not convert nitrates to nitrites. Therefore, a urine culture is necessary to confirm the diagnosis and determine the appropriate antibiotic therapy. Clean-catch, midstream urine collection is appropriate for obtaining a urine specimen for culture in a pregnant woman. Options A, C, and D are not necessary at this time.

A Patient Who Is in the Second Trimester of Pregnancy