Bowel Elimination Flashcards

1
Q
  • Absorb fluid and nutrients
  • Temporary storage of feces
  • Balancing fluid and electrolyte levels
  • Allow elimination of waste and gas
A

Functions of GI tract

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2
Q

Digestion begins with mastication.

A

Mouth

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3
Q

Peristalsis moves food into the stomach

A

Esophagus

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4
Q

Stores food; mixes food, liquid, and digestive juices; moves food into small intestines

A

Stomach

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5
Q

Duodenum, jejunum, and ileum

A

Small Intestine

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6
Q

The primary organ of bowel elimination

A

Large Intestine

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7
Q

Expels feces and flatus from the rectum

A

Anus

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8
Q

These structures are necessary for the defecation process.

A

Organ of the GI tract

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9
Q

Physiological factors critical to bowel function and defecation include?

A
  • normal GI tract function,
  • sensory awareness of rectal distention and rectal contents,
  • voluntary sphincter control, and
  • adequate rectal capacity and compliance.
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10
Q

begins with movement in the left colon, moving stool toward the anus.
When stool reaches the rectum, distention causes relaxation of the internal sphincter and awareness of the need to defecate.
At the time of defecation, the external sphincter relaxes, and abdominal muscles contract, increasing intrarectal pressure and forcing the stool out.

A

Normal defecation process

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11
Q

Sometimes people use to assist in stool passage.
This method exerts pressure to expel feces through voluntary contraction of the abdominal muscles while maintaining forced expiration against a closed airway.

A

Valsalva maneuver

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12
Q

Increase risk for cardiac dysrhythmias and HTN using a valsalva maneuver

A

Patients with cardiovascular disease, glaucoma, increased intracranial pressure, or a new surgical wound

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13
Q

is painless, resulting in passage of soft, formed stool.

A

Normal defecation

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14
Q

Approximately 20 feet long

Extends from the stomach to the large intestine

A

Small Intestine

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15
Q

First 10 inches

A

Duodenum

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16
Q

About 8 feet long

A

Jejunum

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17
Q

About 11 feet long

A

Ileum

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18
Q

where is digestion completed?

A

Small Intestine

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19
Q

enzymes that function in the small intestine to assist in digestion

A

bile and pancreatic enzymes

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20
Q

where is vitamins and mineral absorbed?

A

small intestine

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21
Q

Extends from the ileum to the Anus
Approximately 5 feet long
No Digestion takes place in the large intestine

A

large intestine

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22
Q

Stores and eliminates undigested waste

Absorbs water, vitamins and minerals

A

Functions of large intestine

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23
Q
Cecum
Appendix
Ascending Colon
Transverse Colon
Descending Colon
Sigmoid Colon
Rectum
Anus
A

Large Intestine

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24
Q

can give nurses a lot of information; therefore it is important to ask questions related to bowel elimination & monitor this

A

Fecal Assessment

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25
Q

fecal characteristics

ascending colon

A

fluid feces

26
Q

fecal characteristics

between ascending colon and transverse colon

A

semifluid feces

27
Q

fecal characteristics

along transverse colon

A

mushy feces

28
Q

fecal characteristics

between transverse and descending colon

A

semi mushy feces

29
Q

fecal characteristics

descending

A

semi solid feces

30
Q

fecal characteristics

below or within sigmoid colon

A

solid feces

31
Q

Separate hard lumps like nuts (difficult to pass)

A

Type 1

Constipation

32
Q

Sausage shaped but lumpy

A

Type 2

33
Q

Like a sausage but with cracks on surface

A

Type 3

34
Q

Like sausage or snake, smooth and soft

A

Type 4

35
Q

Soft blobs with clear-cut edges and soft

A

Type 5

36
Q

Fluffy pieces with ragged edges, a mushy stool

A

Type 6

37
Q

Watery, no solid pieces (entirely liquid)

A

Type 7

38
Q

is a symptom of something is going on, not a disease

A

Constipation

39
Q

Improper diet, reduced fluid intake, lack of exercise, and certain medications causes?

A

Constipation

40
Q
infrequent bowel movements (less often than every 3 days), 
difficulty passing stools, 
excessive straining, 
inability to defecate at will, and 
hard feces
A

Signs of constipation

41
Q

slows the heart rate that may
occurs during straining while defecating, taking rectal temperatures,
completion of enemas, and
digital removal of impacted stool.

A

Vagal stimulation

42
Q

is a significant health hazard

A

Constipation

43
Q

Health issues that need to prevent constipation and avoid using the Valsalva maneuver.

A

patients with a history of cardiovascular disease,
diseases causing elevated intraocular pressure (glaucoma),
or increased intracranial pressure

44
Q

causes problems for the patient with recent abdominal, gynecological, or rectal surgery.

A

Straining during defecation

45
Q

Factors Affecting Elimination

A
Age
Fluid intake
Psychological factors
Position during defecation
Pregnancy
Medications, laxatives, and cathartics
Diet
Physical activity
Personal habits
Pain
Surgery and anesthesia
Diagnostic tests
46
Q

A symptom, not a disease; infrequent stool and/or hard, dry, small stools that are difficult to eliminate

A

Constipation

47
Q

Results from unrelieved constipation; a collection of hardened feces wedged in the rectum that
a person cannot expel

A

Impaction

48
Q

an increase in the number of stools and the passage of liquid, unformed feces

A

Diarrhea

49
Q

Inability to control passage of feces and gas to the anus

A

Incontinence

50
Q

Accumulation of gas in the intestines causing the walls to stretch

A

Flatulence

51
Q

Dilated, engorged veins in the lining of the rectum

A

Hemorrhoids

52
Q

What medications that may affect the GI System?

A
NSAIDS
Aspirin
Stool Softeners/Laxatives
Enemas
Narcotics
Anticholinergic Agents
53
Q

How to assess Bowel pattern and habits
What shall we ask?

Physical Assessment
What shall we do?

A

Last BM, color, consistency, nl frequency, nutritional habits, etc

Auscultate bowel, sounds, inspect & palpate abdomen

54
Q

Diagnostic Tests for bowel assessment

A
Stool Specimens
Fecal Occult Blood Test (Guaiac Test)
Radiographic Test (X-Ray) 
Contrast Studies
Endoscopy
Colonoscopy
55
Q

How and why stool specimen is collected (for Ova and Parasite)

A

Detects intestinal infections
Series of three stools are usually collected
Specimens are collected with a tongue blade and placed in a container with a preservative
Stool must be examined within 30 minutes of collection

56
Q

When should the stool be examined?

A

within 30 minutes of collection

57
Q

also called super infection

A

C. Diff. (Clostridium Difficile)

58
Q

How to prevent C. Diff spread?

A

Wash hand thoroughly with

soap and water

59
Q

C. Diff precautions

A

Contact Precautions

60
Q

Before the isolation is lifted for patient affected with C. Diff.

A

48 hours of no diarrhea