a. General<\/b>. Stool samples can be examined on the ward and in the laboratory to determine the presence of substances that aid in diagnosis. For example:<\/p>\n
(1) On the ward, nursing personnel can determine the color, consistency, and amount of stool. The presence of unseen blood (occult) can be determined with a simple test.<\/p>\n
(2) In the laboratory, tests can be performed to determine the presence of fat, urobilinogen, ova, parasites, bacteria, and other substances.<\/p>\n
b. Nursing Implications<\/b>.<\/p>\n
(1) Nursing personnel should consider the following information when assessing and documenting information related to a patient’s bowel movements.<\/p>\n
(a) Small, dry, hard stools may indicate constipation or fecal impaction.<\/p>\n
(b) Diarrhea may indicate fecal impaction or fecal mass, or it may be the result of a disease process (such as colitis or diverticulitis) or a bacterial infection (such as dysentery).<\/p>\n
(2) Nursing personnel should consider the patient’s diet when assessing and documenting the character of a patient’s stool.<\/p>\n
(a) Black, tarry stools may be the result of upper GI bleeding, iron supplements, or diet selection (eating black licorice, for example).<\/p>\n
(b) Reddish colored stools may be the result of bleeding in the lower GI tract or diet selection (eating carrots or beets, for example).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
a. General. Stool samples can be examined on the ward and in the laboratory to determine the presence of substances that aid in diagnosis. For example: (1) On the ward, nursing personnel can determine the color, consistency, and amount of stool. The presence of unseen blood (occult) can be determined with a simple test. (2) … Continue reading 1-22. STOOL EXAM\u00a0<\/span>