Elimination/GI Flashcards
What is the bowel elimination process?
- Fecal Matter reaches rectum
- Stretch receptors initiate contraction of sigmoid colon and rectal muscles
- Internal anal sphincter relaxes
- Sensory impulses cause voluntary
- ## External sphincter relaxes
What maneuver is happening during defecation?
The Valsalva maneuver
What does the small and large intestines absorb?
- Small = Nutrients
- Large = Water
What are the types of poop on the Bristle scale?
1: Constipation = Separate hard lumps
2: Mild Constipation = Sausage shaped but lumpy
3 and 4: Healthy = Sausage shape w/ surface cracks OR smooth and soft like a snake
5: Lacking Fiber = Soft blobs with clear cut edges
6: Mild Diarrhea = Fluffy and mushy with ragged edges
7: Diarrhea = Entirely liquid, watery
What’re the poop color and what can they mean?
- Brown: Normal
- Reddish: Dyes or bleeding lower gut/rectum
- Green: Dye/food, Antibiotics, bacterial infections
- Yellowish: Excess fat or small intestinal infection
- White/clay colored: Anti-diarrheal meds or lack of bile
- Red: Dyes/food, hemmorrhoids, bleeding in lower digestive tract
- Black or dark brown: Iron Supplements, Bismuth, bleeding in upper digestive tract
What’re the components of a complete bowel assessment?
- Nursing History
- Physical Assessment
- Relevant Test Results
- Pt’s Med. History
- Chewing
- Stressors/Illness
- Environment
What factors can affect bowel elimination?
- Developmental Stage (Mainly pedi. and geri.)
- Personal factors
- Sociocultural factors
- Nutrition/Hydration
- Activity
- Meds
- Surgery
- Pregnancy
- Pathological
Alterations in bowel elimination status?
- Constipation
- Impaction: Stools cannot pass
- Diarrhea
- Incontinece
- Flatulence: Gassy
- Hemorrhoids: Ulcers/ enlarged BV/ these are due to pressure
What’re two interventions to promote normal bowel movement?
- Squatting while pooping opens up the rectum
- More fiber from fruits or vegetables
What’re pt teaching topics?
- Medications
- Nutrition
- Cathartics to accelerate defecation
- Laxatives to soften stools
- Promote activity
What bowel incontinece device is there for sever incontenece only?
The Flexi-seal rectal tube, its inserted into the rectum and connected to a collection bag
Why would we use a flexi-seal rectal tube?
- Drains stools to keep away from skin to prevent skin breakdown
How long does it take for the kidney to filter all the blood?
About an hour
What does ADH and Aldosterone do
- ADH: Prevents urination and retains fluid
- Aldosterone: Controls potassium release
What are the components of a complete urinary assessment?
- Nursing History
- Self-care ability
- Cultural Considerations
- Review of relevant test results
- Pt’s medical history
