What to bring
- Pathology test request form completed by your doctor
- A valid Medicare card and/or Private Health Insurance card , or overseas healthcard card (OSHC) and photo ID – this will ensure your testing is billed to Medicare or your healthcare provider if eligible
- A list of any current medication and doses
You will also need to bring photo ID if you are having a test for any of the following reasons:
- You are an overseas healthcare card holder
- Immigration
- Occupational Health
- Parentage DNA
- Insurance
- Drug Screening
- Court Ordered Testing
What to do before your test
Your pre-testing instructions will depend on the test you’re having, but the most important thing to do is drink plenty of water before your test – unless your GP has given you a reason not to. This will make it easier for our team member to conduct your blood test.
In some cases, you may be required to fast before your test. This means you will not be able to eat or drink for a set period of time. Fasting is necessary for some tests because some foods and drinks can affect your results.
Your doctor will advise if you are required to fast for your blood test.
A quick guide to fasting
- Diabetics should not fast without prior medical advice.
- Fasting means that you abstain from all food and fluids other than water for a period of 8-14 hours prior to your test.
- Alcohol should not be consumed for 72 hours (3 days) prior to the test.
- You should avoid smoking during the fasting period.
- Do not fast for more than 14 hours prior to your testing.
- Continue to take any medication unless advised otherwise by your doctor.
- Children under 12 should avoid fasting for more than 4-6 hours.
Tests that may require fasting include
- Glucose levels
- Lipids levels (cholesterol)
These instructions should be adhered to unless advised otherwise by your doctor.
After your blood test
Once the blood collection is complete:
- Please leave dressing strip in place for 2-4 hours
- Avoid activities which may cause direct impact on the puncture site for 24 hours. If your skin is particularly thin, it may also be advisable to avoid activities which require energetic use of your arm (such as sports, digging or carrying heavy items) for 24 hours.
Your pathology report will be sent directly to your doctor. Please make an appointment with your doctor to discuss results.
Rarely, patients may experience some bleeding, swelling, discomfort or bruising. Should this occur the following steps are recommended:
- Bleeding at needle puncture site:
- Apply firm pressure directly over the needle site and elevate the arm until bleeding stops.
Discomfort or swelling around needle puncture site:
- Elevate the arm and apply an ice pack to the site. This will help reduce bruising.
Excessive bruising:Rest the arm.
- Apply ice pack to the area.
Pathology testing for children - Paediatric Collections
When taking your child for a blood test, it is a good idea to explain why the test is necessary, and exactly what is involved. Often bringing a favourite toy, book or colouring activity can help your child feel more comfortable.
Children over the age of 12 years can have their collection performed at any of our centres. For children aged from 1 to 12 years, we have specialised paediatric collection centres with collectors who have been trained in paediatric care.
To find one of these options – select “Paediatric Collection (0-12 months), (1-5 years), (6-12 years) from the “Any test” drop-down menu in the search criteria.
Please call the collection centre you plan to attend ahead of time and make an appointment.
Sometimes your child or baby may require a urine sample to be collected for testing. Please see Urine Collection (Paediatrics) below for further information.
Pre-test collection information
The following pre-test collection information will ensure the specimen you provide is in the condition necessary for correct examination and accurate result reporting.
Please Follow These Instructions Carefully
24 Hour Urine Collection
WARNING: An acid preservative may have been added into the collection bottle. If this is the case, the bottle should be marked ACID. This preservative may be harmful if spilt or splashed onto yourself. If you do spill some acid, wash the affected area with copious amounts of water. If ACID is marked on the bottle:
- Do not urinate directly into the container
- Wash any splashes or spills with copious amounts of water
- Keep the container away from children and pets.
All urine for a 24 hour period must be collected into the supplied container. You may begin at any time which is suitable for you but you must be able to complete the collection exactly 24 hours later.
- At a suitable time, empty your bladder into the toilet. Record this date and time on the label of the container [No. 2]. This is the start time.
- Using boiling water, wash out a clean plastic container (or similar).
- Pass urine into the clean plastic container
- Transfer all urine passed into the supplied container for the next 24 hours.
- Exactly 24 hours from the start time, empty your bladder into the container and write this date and time on the label of the container [No. 4].
- The container should be kept in a cool place during the test and when it is complete.
- Return the container to the collection centre as soon as possible.
Your doctor may wish you to provide 3 samples over 3 consecutive mornings.
In a specimen container:
1. Collect the complete SECOND urine specimen of the MORNING.
FOR FEMALES:
Before collecting urine sample, use a sterile water wipe to clean the urethral opening, wiping from front to back. Discard wipe.
2. Specimens should be kept refrigerated until taken to your nearest Abbott Pathology Collection Centre (see back of request form
for centre locations).
- Using boiling water, wash out a clean plastic container (or similar).
- Place the container in the toilet to catch the motion (specimen).
- Transfer a sample (as big as a 20 cent piece) into the brown top container using the scoop attached to the lid.
- If the faeces is too liquid, simply pour into brown top container so it is about half full. Please do not fill.
- Please wipe the outside of the container with a tissue if it is soiled.
- Write your name, date and time of collection on the container label.
- Please deliver as soon as possible. If there is any delay, put the container in a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator.
- This specimen can be used to investigate both bacterial pathogens (M,C & S) and parasites (O,C & P).
- If you are requested to produce more than one specimen for bacterial pathogens (M,C & S), these should be collected seven days apart. A third specimen for this investigation is unwarranted.
- If you are requested to produce more than one specimen for parasites (O,C & P), then collect the second sample two to four days after the first. If a third sample was requested for parasites then collect this sample seven days after the first.
- If collecting more than one specimen, ensure each specimen is delivered for testing on the same day of collection. Do NOT accumulate all required specimens and deliver at one time.
Information about the test:
There is no need for special dietary restrictions before taking this test. You may continue to take your usual medications, however, alcohol, aspirin and anti-inflammatory medications may cause gastrointestinal irritation resulting in occult bleeding. It is best not to take these medications for at least 48 hours prior to testing, but please discuss this with your doctor. You should also not collect samples during, or within 3 days of a menstrual period, have actively bleeding haemorrhoids, have blood in your urine or if you have strained during the bowel movement.
You should collect only one specimen per day. If your doctor has requested three specimens, you should collect three samples on three consecutive days.
It is ideal to perform the test as soon as possible after specimen collection, so please return the specimen to the collection centre as soon as possible. Do not leave the specimen at room temperature for prolonged periods. If delivery to the lab will be delayed more than a few hours, please put the specimen(s) in the fridge in the biohazard bag. The specimens may be stored in the fridge for up to 72 hours if necessary.
Specimen:
Approximately 20-30g of faeces (size of a plum or small egg) is required
Collection Procedure:
- Line a clean ice cream bucket (or large plastic container) with aluminium foil or toilet paper.
- Pass faeces into container. Try not to contaminate the faeces specimen with urine or toilet water as this can cause dilution of the sample.
- Using the scoop in the lid of the supplied brown top container, or a wooden applicator, transfer some faeces into the brown topped faeces container.
- If diarrhoea is watery, pass into unlined container and then pour into the brown-topped faeces container.
- Label container with surname, given name, date of collection, time of collection and date of birth. Seal the specimen container
- in the bag provided and place the request form in the pocket on the side of the bag.
- Deliver specimen and request form to the nearest Abbott Pathology collection centre as soon as possible.
PROCEDURE FOR BOTH MALE AND FEMALE
- Ideally, (you) the patient should not have passed urine for at least an hour.
- MALES - retract foreskin (if applicable) FEMALES – part the labia
- Pass first 10-20mls of urine into sterile jar. Pass remaining urine into toilet.
- NOTE: Maximum amount in jar = 1/3 full (approx. 20mls)
- Screw lid firmly onto jar.
- Return sample to your nearest Abbott Pathology Collection Centre as soon as possible (see back of request form for centre locations).
- Wash your hands.
- Using a clean moist tissue or toilet paper, separate the labia skin folds and wipe from front to back.
- Pass some urine into the toilet first.
- Pass some urine into the container provided without touching the inside of the bowl.
- Finish passing urine into toilet.
- Please bring the yellow-topped container to the pathology collector.
- Patient must be fasting. No food, drinks or energy supplying substances in any form should be consumed for at least 8 hours prior to the test, but the patient must not fast longer than 16 hours. Water is permitted throughout the fasting period and during the test.
- Patient should avoid excessive exercise during the fasting period.
- Smoking is not permitted during the fasting period or throughout the test.
- The patient must rest during the test, preferably either sitting or lying in a semi-recumbent position (as lying flat can delay the gastric emptying).
- Patients should remain at the collection centre for the duration of the test.
- The GTT must be performed in the morning because of a decreasing glucose tolerance in the afternoon.
- Should you have any queries regarding these instructions, please contact our nearest centre listed on the back of your request form.
Follow the instructions above then
- Place the swab into the transport tube provided
- Snap off the shaft of the swab & screw on the transport tube lid firmly
- Label the tube with your full name, time & date, your date of birth
- Place the tube into the plastic specimen bag, with the pathology request form
- Deliver the sample to your nearest pathology collection centre within6 hrsStore sample at room temperature prior to delivery to the collection centre
1. Wash hands with soap and warm water
2. Retract foreskin if needed.
3. Remove the lid of the jar without touching the inside of the jar or lid.
4. Pass the first part of the urine into the toilet.
5. Then collect some urine into the jar. (Approximately 2 fill.)
6. Pass the remaining urine into the toilet.
7. Screw lid firmly onto jar.
8. Return sample to the collector at the nearest Abbott Pathology Collection Centre as soon as possible. (see back of request form for centre locations)
Post Vasectomy samples
The patient should ring the collection centre to arrange a suitable time to bring in the specimen. Samples may be accepted at any Collection centre.
Because the specimen should be delivered to a laboratory for prompt analysis, the patient should be given a time to bring in the sample, so that the first available courier can deliver this to the laboratory.
It is recommended that the post-vasectomy sample is collected when there have been at least 10 ejaculations in the previous 10 weeks.
Fertility samples
The patient should ring the collection centre to arrange a suitable time and place to bring in the specimen.
NOTE: No more than 30 minutes should elapse between collection and delivery to the collection centre as timely examination by the laboratory is required to prevent potential deterioration of the specimen.
It is important that sputum from deep in your lungs and not saliva from your mouth, is coughed up.
To help you with this please read the following information before you commence:
- A morning sample when you first arise is best as there is the most sputum pooled in the lungs at that time.
- Remove the top from the specimen container and hold the container ready to cough into.
- Cough deeply from the lungs and expectorate (spit sputum) into the container.
- It may be easier if you lie across the bed, face down with your head and chest over the edge. Take 3 deep breaths and then cough several times directly into the container. Breathe normally for 2 minutes and then repeat the deep breaths and coughing.
- Screw the lid on the container, and take the container and request form to the Specimen Collection Centre. Please ensure that you write your name, date and time of collection on the container label.
This is done to make or exclude a diagnosis of urinary tract infection. Collection of a clean sample is important as contamination may interfere with an accurate result.
Please follow these instructions:
- Using hot soapy water, wash out a plastic container (e.g ice-cream container). Dry container well.
- Try to collect sample when baby's nappy is dry indicating he/she may be ready to pass urine.
- Bath baby, washing the penis/labia well.
- Pat the baby dry.
- Hold baby over the plastic container with knees bent upwards. After a short wait baby will probably pass urine.
- Place baby on the floor, bed, or large surface from which he/she will not fall.
- Open the yellow top specimen jar and pour urine directly into the container.
- Screw jar lid firmly onto jar and write baby's name, date of birth and time/date of collection.
- Place the specimen jar in the fridge.
- Attend to baby.
- Please deliver to your nearest Abbott Pathology Collection Centre as soon as you can.
- If this fails, a bag urine collection may be required. (These are available at your nearest collection centre.)
- If you have any queries, please telephone us on 08 8159 7900 and speak to the Duty Manager.