Bowel Elimination Flashcards
(32 cards)
Food leaves the small intestine and enters the large intestine after how much time?
3-10 hrs
Normal characteristics of stool
Brown
Soft
Cylindrical
Factors Affecting Bowel Elimination
Nutrition
Fluid intake
Activity and exercise
Body position
Ignoring the urge to defecate
Lifestyle
Medications
Diagnostic procedures
Surgery
Pregnancy
Fecal diversion
Fiber recommendations
25-38g of dietary fiber
Fruits and vegetables are high in fiber
To promote soft stool consistency and promote bowel elimination
2L - women
3L - men
Opioids and iron cause
Constipation
Antibiotics cause
Diarrhea
Portion of the intestine brought through the abdominal wall
Stoma
Stool consistency in an ileostomy
Liquid
Stool consistency in a colostomy
Soft
Accumulation of gas in the GI tract
Flatulence
Paralytic ileus (pseudo-obstruction)
Disruption in normal peristalsis, leading to potential blockage of bowel contents
Risk Identification
Dietary factors
Ignoring the urge to defecate
Pt’s mobility
Diagnostic Procedures (esp w/barium)
Surgical procedures
Fear of pain on defecation
Physiologic alterations Medications
Lifestyle changes
Nursing Process: Auscultation
start at the lower right quadrant
Borborygmi
Loud bowel sounds
To confirm absent bowel sounds, listen for
at least 1-2 minutes per quadrant
Continued absence of bowel sounds beyond 72hr may indicate
paralytic ileus
Annual fecal occult blood test (FOBT) is recommended for
colorectal cancer screening starting at age 45
What can cause a false positive FOBT?
Red meat
Iron
Bismuth compounds
Steroids
EGD is a procedure that
visualizes the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum
Who is responsible for educating the pt prior to any endoscopic procedure?
RN
Flexible sigmoidoscopy is recommended
every 5 years
Colonoscopy is recommended
every 10 years
Small-volume enemas are designed to be retained
up to 30 min
