NURSE 220 Bowel Elimination Lecture Notes

BOWEL ELIMINATION
Factors affecting bowel elimination
● Age
○ Infants have small stomach capacity and less digestive enzymes
● Fluid
● Activity
● Psychological issues
● Habits
● Position
● Pain
● Pregnancy
● Surgery
○ Paralytic ileus
● Medications
○ Laxatives
○ Cathartic
○ Antibiotics, anticholinergics, Fe, NSAIDS, aspirin
● Diagnostic testing
Problems with bowel elimination
● Constipation
○ Decrease in bowel movement with difficult passage of hard dry stools
○ Stool becomes dehydrated as it stays in the intestine
■ No water to lubricate stool
○ A symptom not a disease
○ Cause
○ Straining for defecation
■ Can cause tearing or hemorrhoids
● Impaction
○ Unrelieved constipation
○ DRE for diagnosis
■ Digital rectal exam
■ To check type of stool
○ Treated with oil retention illness followed with cleansing enemas, suppositories
and stool softeners
● Diarrhea
○ Increase in the number of stools and passage of liquid unformed stool
○ Concerns
■ Skin breakdown
■ Fluid loss
○ Cramping , increased bowel sounds, vomiting
○ Responsibilities
■ Monitor intake and output
■ Monitor skin
■ Keep pt clean