Stool

A bowel movement is not just a description of waste; it is a visible result of gastrointestinal transit, water absorption, diet, medication effects, and sometimes bleeding or inflammation. The useful question is not simply, “What colour was the stool?” It is, “How does this differ from the client’s usual pattern, and what does the client look and feel like now?” A single soft stool may be expected for one client and significant diarrhoea for another. Conversely, several days without a bowel movement may reflect that client’s baseline—or may signal constipation, fecal impaction, medication effect, or obstruction when accompanied by distension, pain, vomiting, or inability to pass flatus. For an RPN, stool assessment includes recognizing a clinically meaningful change, gathering focused data, taking appropriate action within competence, documenting objectively, and communicating the finding. It does not mean assigning a definitive gastrointestinal diagnosis from appearance alone. In Ontario, the College of Nurses of Ontario identifies anal inspection and digital rectal assessment, including stool examination, as controlled acts. An RPN may perform these without an order when the nurse has the required knowledge,...