Ch 47: Bowel Elimination - SP Diagnosis

Question 1

What are five risk factors for constipation?

Answer 1

1. Poor fluid intake
2. Low fiber intake
3. Decreased intestinal motility
4. Receiving medications or feedings that are known to cause constipation
5. Decreased physical activity

Question 2

What are some bowel elimination factors that result in a Risk for Impaired Skin Integrity?

Answer 2

• Bowel incontinence
• Constipation, which increases the risk for anal fissure (a tear in the anus)
• Ileostomy, which exposes skin to irritating digestive enzymes

Question 3

What are some bowel elimination factors that result in Fluid Volume Deficit?

Answer 3

• Frequent diarrhea
• Certain ostomies (e.g., ileostomy or ascending colostomy) which cause unregulated liquid stools
• Signs of dehydration

Question 4

What is diverticulitis?

Answer 4

An inflammation or infection in one or more small pouches (diverticula) in the large intestine.

Question 5

What are some factors that cause pain related to bowel elimination?

Answer 5

• Hemorrhoids
• Anal fissures
• Diverticulitis
• Bowel impaction

Question 6

What are some factors that cause distrubed body image related to bowel elimination?

Answer 6

• Bowel diversion (e.g., colostomy, ileostomy)
• Bowel incontinence

Question 7

The nurse consults and collaborates with other members of the multidisciplinary team when developing an individualized plan of care to meet the patient’s bowel elimination needs.

These team members often consist of:

Answer 7

• Primary Care Provider
• Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurse (WOCN)
• Nutritionist
• Mental Health Professional

Question 8

What are three goals for patients with alterations in bowel elimination?

Answer 8

1. Maintaining normal elimination patterns
2. Returning to previous levels of function
3. Preventing risks associated with specific alterations

Question 9

The nurse collects and analyzes patient data to diagnose actual bowel elimination problems such as…

Answer 9

• Constipation,
• Diarrhea,
• Bowel Incontinence,
• Self-Care Deficit: Toileting.

Question 10

The patient with alterations in bowel elimination is also at risk of nursing diagnoses not directly related to bowel elimination, such as:

Answer 10

• Risk for Impaired Skin Integrity,
• Fluid Volume Deficit,
• Pain,
• Disturbed Body Image.