Consolidated Political Compass Test (CPCT) Practice Exam 2025 – Comprehensive All-in-One Guide for Exam Success!

The first action the Patient Care Technician (PCT) should take when obtaining a 24-hour urine collection using a bedside commode is to discard the first urination of the collection period. This step is important because it helps ensure that the urine collected over the next 24 hours accurately reflects the patient's urinary output and the substances being measured.

In a 24-hour collection, the first urine produced upon awakening, often referred to as the "first void," can contain substances that may not represent the patient's normal urine composition. By discarding this initial specimen, the PCT eliminates any variability caused by the patient's urinary habits or fluid intake prior to starting the collection period. This ensures a more accurate assessment of kidney function or other metabolic processes being evaluated through the urine sample.

Proper procedure dictates that after discarding the first urination, the patient should then collect all subsequent urine in the provided container for the next 24 hours. Other actions listed, such as measuring urine output, labeling the collection container, or encouraging fluid intake, are important parts of managing a urine collection but are performed after the first urination has been disposed of.