Description

Nurses can develop creative ways to overcome symptom management in their patients especially when it involves bodily fluids such as diarrhea. We found that nurses were using Nasopharyngeal Airway devices as off label rectal trumpets to manage fecal incontinence. However, in addressing the diarrhea containment problem other unintended patient problems soon developed resulting in several adverse patient safety events including: rectal mucosal injury, bleeding, and perirectal injuries. The team revised the existing fecal containment policy which now includes a focus on patient assessment of reversible factors resulting in diarrhea, and initiation of nursing interventions to address those factors. A formal protocol was developed to address inappropriate utilization of fecal containment systems.

Specialty

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  Continence

Learning Outcome

Handouts

• (302) Development of a Fecal Management Protocol