digital stimulation, any suggestions

Nurses General Nursing

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digital stimulation, help. Have any of you done it. Had to do it a couple of times and it was horrible. I would appreciate any advice. The person I have to do this to needs it done for 10 mins at a time for up to an hour. First, I don't have that kind of time. Second it is offensive to me. Third it hurts my finger. This person asks specifically for female caregivers, and that means me. I am not feeling good about this at all. :o

Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.

I cared for a woman that had a plastic finger thingie that she could use to stimulate herself....I imagine that anyone else using it on a patient would increase the risk of rupturing the rectum?I think that the care plan team should look at this and work with the doc and maybe come up with a bowel regimen that is more appropriate..Then again-the patient does have rights-I guess they have the right to demand this...If you are in LTC this is really something nightshift has to do. :crying2: ..Good luck..I hate sticking my finger in anyone's bum..... :stone

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This is ridiculous! Why in the world does it have to be a finger that we stick up someones rectum? What about an enema tip? For Gods' sakes I would think someone could invent something similar to a finger that they could insert up there. Perhaps I could invent such a thing and make a boat load of money.

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actually if you use a 20# catheter, cut off the tip and insert it, it will serve as a rectal tube. or cut off a yankaur suction tube. something sl. stiff but sl. pliable. be resourceful.

what kind of patient is this that he needs digital stimulation? is he a spinal pt?

and why in hell does he need a mirror and a female????????????

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Specializes in ICU, CM, Geriatrics, Management.
... I could invent such a thing and make a boat load of money.

Mail out your Intention To Submit A Proposed Application to the Patent Office today!

You may just have a winner there.

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What's wrong with a dulcolax suppository? That's what they used 30 years ago and they worked just fine.

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What's wrong with a dulcolax suppository? That's what they used 30 years ago and they worked just fine.

cannoli,

there are so many people out there where their motility is so impaired that a dulcolax doesn't touch them. i've had to give quite a few very aggressive bowel regimens.....VERY aggressive.

leslie

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As a nurse who has worked extensively in the past on spinal cord injury patients, this is an EXTREMELY importany part of their care. A patient can be come impacted very quickly and it can cause Dysreflexia which can cause them to have a stroke or even kill them. It really is not a laughing matter. As "gross" as it soounds this is something that we as their caregivers must do sometimes. Also they can build up a tolerance level so to speak and it may require longer and longer stimulation for them to have sucess. As professionals we need to get over our own hangups, and help these patients. I have a good friend that is a spnial cord patient and it kills me when I see his care getting neglected.

Dave

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As a nurse who has worked extensively in the past on spinal cord injury patients, this is an EXTREMELY importany part of their care. A patient can be come impacted very quickly and it can cause Dysreflexia which can cause them to have a stroke or even kill them. It really is not a laughing matter. As "gross" as it soounds this is something that we as their caregivers must do sometimes. Also they can build up a tolerance level so to speak and it may require longer and longer stimulation for them to have sucess. As professionals we need to get over our own hangups, and help these patients. I have a good friend that is a spnial cord patient and it kills me when I see his care getting neglected.

Dave

i was thinking the concern was why this patient requested a female and a mirror.

but yes, this autonomic dysreflexia is definitely an emergent situation.

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As a nurse who has worked extensively in the past on spinal cord injury patients, this is an EXTREMELY importany part of their care. A patient can be come impacted very quickly and it can cause Dysreflexia which can cause them to have a stroke or even kill them. It really is not a laughing matter. As "gross" as it soounds this is something that we as their caregivers must do sometimes. Also they can build up a tolerance level so to speak and it may require longer and longer stimulation for them to have sucess. As professionals we need to get over our own hangups, and help these patients. I have a good friend that is a spnial cord patient and it kills me when I see his care getting neglected.

Dave

ITA with Dave.

I've worked with (long term) spinal cord injuries and overtime most do need increasing amounts of stimulation.

I once cared for a very sweet kid with a complete C3 who eventually ended up with an illiostomy due to incomplete bowel care. Despite escalating laxitive doses other caregivers were "satisfied" with minimal results from minimal stimulation. I cared for him on a Thursday and he was fine, on Saturday morning I aspirated a GT residual of 2500cc of Jevity.

*Personally*, if the male patient is does not appear to be experiencing any sexual gratification from a female performing digital stim I would assume he probably has other reasons for prefering a male not do it including prior sexual abuse.

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ITA with Dave.

I've worked with (long term) spinal cord injuries and overtime most do need increasing amounts of stimulation.

I once cared for a very sweet kid with a complete C3 who eventually ended up with an illiostomy due to incomplete bowel care. Despite escalating laxitive doses other caregivers were "satisfied" with minimal results from minimal stimulation. I cared for him on a Thursday and he was fine, on Saturday morning I aspirated a GT residual of 2500cc of Jevity.

*Personally*, if the male patient is does not appear to be experiencing any sexual gratification from a female performing digital stim I would assume he probably has other reasons for prefering a male not do it including prior sexual abuse.

Personally, I would think he's getting some kind of gratification out of it if he wants it done for an hour at a time. Red flags are going up all over the place on this one. As I said - anyone who can use a mirror has control of their fingers and can do this themselves.

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Specializes in jack of all trades, master of none.

Ok, not to sound like a dork, but I would rather anyone with small hands do that duty for me, be it male or female... smallest pinky wins.

Seriously, I have never seen a dig. stim. need to last that long... usually a well-lubricated pinky with a "sweep" of the vault, a few times, has always worked for me...

Thank goodness.

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More and more in long term SCI patients we are recommending colostomies. When their bowels become less responsive to dig stim they are at higher risk for obstipation, ileus and possibly toxic mega colon.

Dulcolax suppositories are used in conjunction with dig stim.

I know this whole process seems gross to some folks, but for SCI patients it can be a matter of life or death.

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