The examination of urine to discover the nature, causes and prognoses of diseases was one of the earliest procedures to he adopted by physicians. Today, urine testing remains an important aid in diagnosing and monitoring disease and treatment, and in helping to provide clues to a patient’s health and wellbeing. June Thompson discusses the value of this nursing procedure

Urinalysis has become routine in hospitals and GPs’ surgeries since dry reagents in the form of tablets for testing for diabetes were first introduced by Ames 40 years ago, and were followed by paper-impregnated strips. However, perhaps because urine testing is so routine, not all nurses appreciate the value of the information available from reagent tests, and the importance of the correct technique in obtaining accurate results.