What nursing interventions can help a patient who is immobile and constipated?

What nursing interventions can help a patient who is immobile and constipated?

Nursing Interventions Assist patient to take at least 20 g of dietary fiber (e.g., raw fruits, fresh vegetable, whole grains) per day. Fiber adds bulk to the stool and makes defecation easier because it passes through the intestine essentially unchanged. Urge patient for some physical activity and exercise.

Can constipation be caused by immobility?

Prolonged bedrest and immobility are often associated with constipation. Although patients should be encouraged to be as physically active as possible, there is no consistent evidence that regular exercise relieves constipation.

How can an immobile patient prevent constipation?

2. Regularly eat (and drink) foods like:

1. Beans.
2. Whole grains, especially bran.
3. Vegetables.
4. Fresh and dried fruit.
5. Nuts.
6. High-fiber foods.
7. Water — softens stool and stimulates the bowel.

How does mobility affect constipation?

Exercise helps constipation by lowering the time it takes food to move through the large intestine. This limits the amount of water your body absorbs from the stool. Hard, dry stools are harder to pass. Plus, aerobic exercise speeds up your breathing and heart rate.

How do nurses assess for constipation?

After documenting the patient’s history, perform a physical assessment. First inspect the abdomen, then auscultate for bowel sounds, percuss for dullness, and palpate for masses. Constipation often causes the abdomen to become distended and tender, and stool in the colon causes a dull percussion note.

What is the role of the nurse in relation to prevention of constipation?

Nurses are best placed to assess, plan, implement and evaluate care for patients presenting with constipation. The article stresses the need for healthcare professionals to aim to prevent constipation and to identify early those patients at risk of developing constipation, to ensure that patients’ needs are met fully.

What helps bedridden constipation?

Constipation can be treated with stool softeners like Colace (docusate sodium) and laxatives like Senokot (senna). If these treatments are not effective, an enema may also be administered. If none of these treatments are effective, a nurse may need to disimpact the patient manually.

How do you treat severe constipation in the elderly?

Suggested approach to management of chronic constipation in older adults.

1. ENEMAS AND SUPPOSITORIES. Enemas and suppositories can be useful for fecal impaction or in patients who cannot tolerate oral preparations.
2. BULKING AGENTS.
3. OSMOTIC LAXATIVES.
4. STOOL SOFTENERS.
5. STIMULANT LAXATIVES.
6. OTHER AGENTS.

Which is an important assessment for the nurse to make before administering a laxative?

Assessment. The nurse should assess for the potential cause of the patient’s constipation and appropriately individualize the treatment and patient education. The nurse should document an abdominal assessment that includes discomfort, distention, and decreased bowel sounds.

How do you deal with severe constipation?

Take these steps:

1. Drink two to four extra glasses of water a day, unless your doctor told you to limit fluids for another reason.
2. Try warm liquids, especially in the morning.
3. Add fruits and vegetables to your diet.
4. Eat prunes and bran cereal.
5. Exercise most days of the week.
6. Don’t ignore the urge to poop.

How do you manage a patient with constipation?

How is constipation treated?

1. Drink two to four extra glasses of water a day.
2. Add fruits, vegetables whole grains and other high-fiber foods to your diet.
3. Eat prunes and/or bran cereal.
4. Keep a food diary and single out foods that constipate you.
5. Get moving, exercise.
6. Check how you sit on the toilet.