Are "laxative days" common?

Nurses General Nursing

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So I've just started working as a CNA this week and yesterday was what one nurse dubbed "laxative day" - basically everyone that hadn't had a BM got one.

This was my second day on the job, and needless to say all of a sudden I had 4 patients having to go at once. I kind of wish I was given a head's up since I didn't know they were all given one til after it started.

Luckily I'm not (Completely) grossed out by poo, and was able to handle it. It took about an hour to help everyone out but they were thankful!

I'm wondering - is it common to designate specific days towards this?

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At one facility where I worked, the PM nurse gave out laxatives to everyone, no matter their BM status. She timed it perfectly so that the night shift got the results. The PM CNA's would joke on their way out the door, that was how the oncoming shift found out how their night was going to go. Although the night shift nurses would join in remarking how this was not a desirable way to do things, they never did anything to change the policy. Do not recall it being a set day, or a joy for every resident, regular or not, at any of the other places I worked. Really this is not much different than any other ill-conceived idea regarding resident care, such as getting them up at 4 am for showers.

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Specializes in peds, geriatrics, geri-psych.

At all of the places I have worked, there was never a specific "day" set aside. It makes no logistical sense to have half a dozen incontinent/aide-dependent patients have BMs at the same time. Usually it was based on the 3 day rule. If no BM for 3 days, Miralax is given, 24 hours without result it would be a suppository. If that wasn't effective we would move on to enemas and or digital disimpaction. :/

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I'm hoping she only gave the laxative to patients who had not had a BM in few days.. and just dubbed it so for comic effect.

If not, and she was just giving out milk of mag like wine on Sunday morning, then that's poor nursing practice. I can't imagine doing that. Yikes.

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Specializes in LTC and Pediatrics.
At all of the places I have worked, there was never a specific "day" set aside. It makes no logistical sense to have half a dozen incontinent/aide-dependent patients have BMs at the same time. Usually it was based on the 3 day rule. If no BM for 3 days, Miralax is given, 24 hours without result it would be a suppository. If that wasn't effective we would move on to enemas and or digital disimpaction. :/

This is the way it has been at all the places I have worked. Since I am a night nurse, it was up to us to make the "BM list" We would create a list of those who haven't had a BM in three days or more.

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I've seen that a few times, usually it's always the really old nurses who have some kind of obsession with BMs.

"Ms X hasn't had a BM since yesterday???? Give her a butt bomb!"

Its not best practice obviously. It's best to monitor bowel pattern and only give a laxative when it's clinicals indicated.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Same where I work day 2 and 3 would get oral laxatives and day 4 would be suppository if client would tolerate it. Not all clients suitable for suppository

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Way back in the Dinosaur Days, when pts were admitted and had workup studies done as in-patient, I hated the Sunday night/Monday NOC shift. Pts were prepped for the lower GI/barium enema xray studies. It required dulcolax tabs, suppository and fleets. It was 'poop night'. And liquid diets and NPO status.

Those poor pts! Lots of falls on those nights as I remembered.

My, how things have changed!

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