Assessment is the key!

Abstract

The care of the patient’s bowels has always been one of the key aspects of nursing care down the centuries. Therefore, it probably comes as no surprise to learn that both doctors and nurses have become obsessed at times with the patient’s bowels and the examination of their faeces. Purgatives were considered a valuable class of medicines and were used in both the cure and prevention of disease. Even in patients with severe mental health problems, purgatives were tried and believed to have some beneficial effects. In fact, Andrew (1842) mentions, with regard to dealing with the problem of constipation, the effects of sedentary and studious lifestyles are blamed as the causes for the problem. Advice is given that if someone was to suffer from constipation then they should change their diet to one full of vegetables and various kinds of fruit that may produce the desired effect. A special ‘pease brose or peas-pudding’ made out of fine pease flour quickly mixed with boiling water, was recommended. If this failed then medicines, such as senna or an infusion of roses with epson salts, were prescribed.