NHS issue patient safety advice for pregnant women

Testing for the presence of protein in urine is part of the standard care for pregnant women with suspected or confirmed hypertension and pre-eclampsia. It is essential to correctly identify hypertension and proteinuria to prevent avoidable harm to mother and baby.

An incident has been reported through the National Reporting and Learning System (NRLS) relating to the misinterpretation of tests taken for protein in urine. This incident involved the misinterpretation of 400 as being 400mg of protein per 24-hours (indicating borderline proteinuria) instead of a Protein Creatinine Ratio (PCR) of 400mg/mmol (indicating severe proteinuria).

There are various methods of testing urine across the Trust and to refresh your knowledge in this area, please read the NICE guidance. The instructions for the urinalysis testing strips should also be reviewed. It is important to ensure accurate recording of all findings of assessment and examination.

Published on 4th July 2014