Final answer:
White blood cells in a urine sample are an unexpected finding which suggests a potential UTI. Normal urine characteristics include being clear, straw-yellow, and having a mild odor; anything outside of this may require further investigation.
Step-by-step explanation:
A Patient Care Technician (PCT) collecting a urine specimen should expect it to have certain characteristics of normal urine. Unexpected characteristics in a urine sample could include the presence of white blood cells (WBCs), high glucose levels, protein, blood (except in cases of menstrual contamination), or strong odours. Normal urine should be clear, straw-yellow, and have a mild odor, with a pH range of 4.5-8.0, and an osmolarity of 50-1200 milliosmoles.
The presence of white blood cells in urine often suggests a urinary tract infection (UTI) or other types of infection or inflammation. The proper handling and analysis of urine samples are crucial for diagnosing various conditions, and unexpected findings may require further clinical investigation.