Habit: hampered or honored: adapting the bowel habit of the hospitalized patient through nursing assessment and intervention

The hypothesis presented in this study constitutes only a small segment of nursing care. However, it is a well-established fact that constipation is a common, sometimes serious, and time-consuming nursing and patient problem. The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether there would be a difference in the incidence of bowel dysrhythmia in patients who were assisted in maintaining their usual method of bowel care and those who were not. Bowel evacuation is an essential physiological function, and each individual has his own habits. If the nurse knows the patient's regular habits and how the patient maintains them, the nurse can implement appropriate intervention. If there is a variation from the patient's usual pattern the nurse will have the necessary information from the nursing assessment to assist in adaptation to the change.