Should small ones count? (BMs, that is)

Nurses General Nursing

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At our place 2 days without bm is automatic prune juice even if they had 2 small ones in a row.

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Specializes in peds-trach/vent.

At a facility I worked at in PA, small bm's did not count. Neither did 2smalls make a medium. neither counted.:)

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How about 2 small loose?

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At our place 2 days without bm is automatic prune juice even if they had 2 small ones in a row.

I have been out of nursing school a long time, and never worked long term care so am no expert on this. But from nursing school I think I remember that even impacted patients can have small loose or firm stools?

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I have been out of nursing school a long time, and never worked long term care so am no expert on this. But from nursing school I think I remember that even impacted patients can have small loose or firm stools?

Yes, because loose stool can seep around an impaction.

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Specializes in ICU.

This title made me lol:lol2:

I agree with the above. Use your judgement. I had a patient occasionally giving us a few nuggets here and there, and then ended up filling up an entire bedpan with stool later on. Smallish liquid stools are also a tell-tale sign of impaction.

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While little ones here and there are better than nothing, that wouldn't negate the need for a little laxative help.

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if in doubt, a nurse can always do a digital to feel for stool.

fwiw, i think it all should be recorded - large, small, loose, hard, etc.

i've worked with some cna's who recorded large bm qd...

and that just wasn't the case.

a distended abd, sluggish bowel sounds and pt complaints of constipation, were the telltale signs. ;)

so yes op, we record it all and intervene per pt presentation, on a daily basis.

leslie

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Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.

Man, I would be sick and tired of prune juice if I lived at your place! What about those who only have a couple BMs per week under normal circumstances?

(someone remind me to jump off a cliff before I ever end up in a LTC facility!)

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"man, i would be sick and tired of prune juice if i lived at your place! what about those who only have a couple bms per week under normal circumstances?"

i know...i have been threatened with bodily harm. not really. but i have had some pretty nasty glares from a few really 'anti-prune juice' residents. mention the juice and they bristle!

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(someone remind me to jump off a cliff before I ever end up in a LTC facility!)

oh gawd, i sooo agree.

my husband and kids KNOW not to put me *there*.

leslie

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Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.
oh gawd, i sooo agree.

my husband and kids KNOW not to put me *there*.

leslie

We have plenty of firearms in the house... a "gun-cleaning accident" is a requirement in the event that a LTC facility is ever needed by any of us!

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