MOM vs. Suppository?

[nursealanarae]

I am a fairly new nurse (year in) and I just have a question about BM's. I had a patient whom had a whoping pelvic fx with ext. fixator. He had a bowel movement the day before and then a small, hard BM that day. He said he felt as if he needed to go more. He said he didn't need to right then and there, but needed more of a stool softener. He was already on colace TID and Senna at night. I wasn't sure if I should give him a suppository or MOM because I didn't want him to sit on a bedpan for a long period of time because he was on bedrest. Plus, it was at 7pm at the end of my shift. So, I gave him the MOM. Did I do thr right thing? What do you nurses prefer? Thanks

Alana

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

I'm not sure how, but I think it actually helps the drink work better.

[truern]

What is the rationale for warming the prune juice prior to giving it? Does that really help the stool softening or is it a taste thing?

Heat is supposed to increase peristalsis although not sure just how warm it would be after drinking it.