title: Managing constipation using a research-based protocol.
abstract: Constipation, a common health problem particularly for elderly and hospitalized patients, can cause abdominal pain, discomfort, gas, headaches, nausea, anorexia, a bad taste in the mouth, and potentially adds to functional loss and length of stay. As part of a quality improvement initiative, a research-based interdisciplinary protocol was developed to prevent constipation in hospitalized immobile vascular surgery patients. Using a combination of dietary fiber, increased fluid, and hygiene measures over a 3-year period, incidence of constipation was reduced from 59% to about 9%. The incidence of impaction was eliminated and requests for laxatives and enemas were reduced from 59% to about 8%.
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karstens
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rakel
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Swanson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Davidson
mesh_terms: D015400:Clinical Nursing Research; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D003248:Constipation / Q000150:complications / Q000451:nursing*; D006801:Humans; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care