Bowel Movement + Ostomy Care Flashcards
peristalsis
smooth, involuntary muscular contractions
pathway of digestive system
mouth->esophagus->stomach->small intestine->large intestine->rectum
another name for large intestine
colon
feces vs stool
feces = waste in rectum stool = excreted feces
most common time for bowel movement to occur
after breakfast
if blood is in the stomach or small intestine, what colour would the stool be?
black and tarry
if blood is in the lower colon, what colour would the stool be?
a more red stool
6 things to report about a clients bowel movement
- odour
- amount
- consistency
- colour
- form
- frequency
6 factors that affect bowel movement
- privacy
- personal habits
- diet
- activity
- aging
- disability
constipation
less frequent, dry, hard, difficult to pass stool
fecal impaction
prolonged retention and accumulation of feces in the rectum
diarrhea
rapid passing of feces through the intestines with no time for fluid absorption ; urgent need to defecate
fecal incontinence
inability to voluntarily control defecation
flatulence
gas or flatus, a byproduct of digestion, normally found in stomach and intestines
3 goals of bowel training
- control of bowel movements
- develop regular patterns for bowel movements
- prevent impaction, constipation, fecal incontinence
how to maintain bowel training
- know client’s bowel routine
- offer bathroom assistance
- follow care plan
- offer fluids/fibre
- activity
- suppository (as last resort)
enema
when a fluid containing a solution is inserted in rectum/lower colon
two types of enemas
cleansing enema = usually given in a facility/hospital
commercial enema = can be purchased over the counter at drug stores
symptoms of fecal impaction
- feces becomes hard and putty like, unable to pass
- distended abdomen, bloating
- oozing liquid stool around blockage
symptoms of constipation
- bloating
- nausea
- distention
causes of constipation
- dehydration
- lack of activity
- lack of fibre
- medications
ostomy
surgical creation of an artificial opening (stoma)
healthy stoma features
red/pink colour and moist
colostomy
ostomy through the colon/large intestine for feces to pass through
ileostomy
ostomy through small intestine for feces to pass through
ileoconduit
ostomy that allows urine to pass through
when to change an ostomy bag
every 3-7 days or if bag is leaking
when to empty ostomy bag
every time it’s full
why do we not want to change an ostomy bag too often
wanting to avoid skin irritation that may result in client not being able to wear bag ; ostomy bag is expensive
another name for ostomy bag
appliance
after changing an ostomy bag how long until the client can shower
about 1-2 hours
why should you avoid getting soap on a stoma
stoma is a mucous membrane that must stay moist, soap would dry it out
