Elimination Flashcards
Stress Incontinence
Coughing, sneezing, laughing, or physical activity that increases pressure on the bladder, resulting in urine leakage.
Urge incontinence
A strong need or urge to urinate but leaking occurs before the client gets to the toilet.
Reflex incontinence
Urinary leakage as a result of nerve damage.
Overflow incontinence
Incomplete bladder emptying that results in bladder overfilling when full, leading to urine leakage.
Functional incontinence
Physical inability to reach the toilet in time. This may be due to a physical impairment such as being wheelchair bound or having arthritis of the hands, which can hinder the fine motor skills needed to unbutton clothing.
Nocturnal enuresis
(Nighttime bedwetting) common in children but may occur in adults who have consumed too much alcohol, who consume caffeine at night, or take certain medications.
Interventions for incontinence: Lifestyle modifications
Improving diet and exercising to prevent constipation, reducing caffeine or alcohol intake, avoiding medications that cause urinary incontinence (if possible) and quitting smoking.
Other interventions for incontinence
Pelvic floor exercises, bladder training, medications, medical devices, and surgery.
Urinary retention
Incomplete emptying of the bladder.
Are males or females more likely to develop urinary retention?
Males, due to enlarged prostate. If not addressed, urinary retention can cause urinary tract infections, bladder damage, kidney damage, and urinary incontinence.
Findings associated with urinary retention:
Difficulty urinating, pain, abdominal distention, urinary frequency/hesitancy, weak or slow urine, stream and urinary leakage.
Urinary hesitancy
A difficulty when urinating that causes a weak trickling stream of urine and a need to strain.
What procedure can look inside the urethra and bladder to determine whether the cause of urinary hesitancy is related to a stone or another lesion?
Cytoscopy
For females with bladder prolapse, what can be used to stop urine from leaking?
A vaginal pessary
Constipation
Difficulty moving the bowels due to hardened stool.
Manifestations from constipation that require medical attention include:
Fever, bleeding from the GI tract, abdominal pain, vomiting, low back pain, and weight loss. If constipation is chronic, fecal impacting or obstruction can occur.
Interventions to treat constipation:
A high fiber diet, staying well hydrated, exercise, bowel training, and medications to soften stool.
Symptoms of diarrhea that require a medical follow-up:
Fever of 102•F or higher, diarrhea lasting longer than 2 days or 6 or more bowel movements a day, abdominal pain, or the presence of blood or black feces.
Urinary urgency
A strong desire to urinate
What type of infection can result if a urinary tract infection is left untreated?
A UTI if untreated can result in kidney infection or pyelonephritis.
What are symptoms of a UTI?
A UTI can include burning or painful urination, and frequent urgency or need to urinate, despite not having a lot of urine to excrete.
How are UTIs commonly treated?
With antibiotics, females are more likely to develop UTIs.
What is a J-pouch?
An internal pouch formed with the ileum.
What is a Kock pouch?
A continent ileostomy system.
What is a Colonostomy?
Use of part of the colon to form a stoma through the abdominal wall.
What is an Ileostomy?
A fecal diversion that uses the ileum, the terminal end of the small intestine.
A nurse is preparing to insert a nasogastric tube into a client for decompression. What should the nurse perform first?
Ensure the client is in a sitting position. When inserting a nasogastric tube, the nurse should first encourage the client to sit up to reduce the change of vomiting and aspiration.
A nurse is reviewing a client’s list of medications and supplements. Which medication classifications increases the risk of constipation?
Narcotic pain medications. Medications used to treat pain, such as narcotics, can slow gastric motility and increase the risk of constipation.
A nurse is providing postoperative instructions for a client who had kidney stone removal and placement of a nephrostomy tube. Which of the following statements by the client indicates an understanding of the instructions?
“This tube is only temporary.” This type of diversion is usually temporary and is removed once the kidney has healed.
A nurse is teaching a client about diagnostic urinary testing. Which of the following should the nurse include in the teaching about cystometric testing?
Cystometric testing involves measuring bladder capacity, the pressure of the bladder during filling, and the final capacity when the urge to urinate begins.
