CSC Collection Procedures & Techniques 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When collecting a urine specimen for a federal workplace drug test, what is the required minimum specimen volume?
- 15 mL
- 30 mL (Correct answer)
- 45 mL
- 60 mL
Correct answer: 30 mL
Federal DOT guidelines require a minimum of 30 mL of urine for a split specimen drug test.
Question 2: A donor presents for a urine drug screen and cannot produce a specimen after 3 hours. What is the correct collector action?
- Discard the attempt and reschedule
- Document a 'shy bladder' and notify the MRO/employer (Correct answer)
- Allow unlimited additional time
- Collect whatever volume is available regardless of amount
Correct answer: Document a 'shy bladder' and notify the MRO/employer
After 3 hours without a specimen, the collector must document the 'shy bladder' condition and notify the Medical Review Officer and/or employer per DOT regulations.
Question 3: Which action is required BEFORE a donor enters the restroom to provide a urine specimen?
- Ask the donor to remove all jewelry
- Have the donor wash hands with soap and water
- Instruct the donor to leave outerwear and bag outside (Correct answer)
- Verify the collection container temperature strip is functional
Correct answer: Instruct the donor to leave outerwear and bag outside
The donor must leave outer garments, bags, briefcases, and purses outside the restroom to minimize the opportunity for specimen adulteration or substitution.
Question 4: What is the correct temperature range for a valid urine specimen immediately after collection?
- 90–100°F (32–38°C) (Correct answer)
- 96–99°F (36–37°C)
- 90–100°F is the DOT accepted range
- 98–102°F (37–39°C)
Correct answer: 90–100°F (32–38°C)
DOT regulations specify that a fresh urine specimen temperature must fall within 90–100°F (32–38°C) as measured within 4 minutes of collection.
Question 5: If a split specimen urine collection produces 30 mL total, how should volume be distributed between the primary (A) and split (B) vials?
- 25 mL in A, 5 mL in B
- 15 mL in each vial
- 20 mL in A, 10 mL in B (Correct answer)
- All 30 mL in A; B is not needed at minimum volume
Correct answer: 20 mL in A, 10 mL in B
DOT protocol requires at least 15 mL in the primary (A) vial and at least 8 mL in the split (B) vial; the standard split is roughly 20 mL in A and 10 mL in B.
Question 6: During a monitored collection, which situation requires the collector to conduct a direct-observation collection?
- Donor requests privacy
- Collector suspects a prosthetic device or specimen substitution device (Correct answer)
- Specimen temperature reads 96°F
- Donor's first collection attempt produced only 25 mL
Correct answer: Collector suspects a prosthetic device or specimen substitution device
If the collector or a team member observes or has reason to believe a donor is using a substitution device, a direct-observation collection must be performed.
Question 7: Which substance, if found in a urine specimen, would indicate possible adulteration with bleach?
- Elevated nitrite levels
- Elevated creatinine below 2 mg/dL
- Abnormally high pH and presence of oxidants (Correct answer)
- Specimen pH below 3
Correct answer: Abnormally high pH and presence of oxidants
Bleach is an oxidizing agent; its presence raises urine pH significantly and tests positive for oxidants on validity testing strips.
CSC Collection Procedures & Techniques 2
When collecting a urine specimen for a federal workplace drug test, what is the required minimum specimen volume?