POOP! What do I put on my nursing notes for poop?

[xxiangel]

Hi guys!!! I'm starting my second semester on the Med/Surg floor and I have a question for you all about POOP!

When doing my nursing notes, what are all the different ways I can describe somebody's poop? I know this sounds silly, but I always get stumped what to put on my nursing notes!

As far as things to document.... color, consistency, and amount. So far I have (Solid and formed) for consistency.

Just don't want to write something silly! What do other nurse's put down?

Thanks so much!!

[lpnstudentin2010, LPN]

RescueNinja said:

I learned about the Bristol Chart in school, but I have never seen it actually used in the real world...

One of the clinics that I am a patient at (urodynamics) uses it. every appt I have I am shown the chart and asked to rate my poo

[Mommy&RN, BSN, RN]

color: brown, black, green, frank blood, yellow

Consistency: Formed, hard, soft, liquid, watery, pasty

Contienet or incontient

colostomy? ileostomy?

Is it "normal" for that pt?

I spend a lot of time with poop...lol

[RescueNinja]

anonymurse said:

Well in that case, I'm not going to be sitting at my computer, scratching my head, trying to find the correct terminology to describe the stool in agonizing detail while asking everyone passing by if they've seen the aide. I'm gonna be in the room guaiacing or cleaning the pt or some other useful thing.

Which is probably why the OP is on here asking for help with terminology ahead of time so she doesn't have to sit there trying to think about the best way to describe it when there are more important things to do.

[davebigs]

I think you have way too much time on your hands. Unless the patient came to you with or developed a bowel problem then there is really no need to address it. Over charting if you ask me. Where I work it is charting by exception all the time. If there is nothing out of the ordinary with the BM, no need to even mention it. If it makes you feel better just say patient had a large, small or medium, formed or not BM on this shift.

[xxiangel]

davebigs said:

I think you have way too much time on your hands. Unless the patient came to you with or developed a bowel problem then there is really no need to address it. Over charting if you ask me. Where I work it is charting by exception all the time. If there is nothing out of the ordinary with the BM, no need to even mention it. If it makes you feel better just say patient had a large, small or medium, formed or not BM on this shift.

No, I don't have a lot of time on my hands! Just trying to be the best nurse I can be! Thats all ?

[xxiangel]

Mommy&RN said:

color: brown, black, green, frank blood, yellow

Consistency: Formed, hard, soft, liquid, watery, pasty

Contienet or incontient

colostomy? ileostomy?

Is it "normal" for that pt?

I spend a lot of time with poop...lol

Thanks !!!! And thanks for not giving me any grief either for asking! I didn't know it was such a big deal!! And that I have SO much extra time on my hand for giving this a consideration *cough*........... RIGHT.

[Up2nogood RN, RN]

On my floor we spend a lot of time with different forms of poop since we do a lot of GI surgeries. CBE is great but usually we see a lot of exceptions and it's a great concept to learn to chart to CYA.

[JulieCVICURN, BSN, RN]

I always crack up when I see "foul smelling" on the list of check boxes. Really? It's all foul smelling! If it smelled like roses, it wouldn't be poop!

**Note - I do understand the difference between a normal fecal smell and a foul one. It still cracks me up anyway.

[Baloney Amputation, BSN, LPN, RN]

You're only overcharting if you document the flavor.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

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[CBsMommy]

applescruffette said:

You're only overcharting if you document the flavor.

This almost made me spit soda at my computer. Too funny!