Management of Constipation in Neurosurgery Patients

Abstract

Constipation is a common complication in patients treated in neurosurgery clinics and it is an important problem. Neurosurgery nurse has an important role in assessment and prevention, of the disease. Constipation can be prevented in neurosurgery patients, with effective constipation diagnosis and side effects resulting from unnecessary use of drugs can be minimized. Within this framework, the nurse diagnoses the excretion habits, listens to the abdominal sounds of the patient, palpates the abdomen for distention and uses reliable and safe diagnosis tools. With the most important nursing interventions to prevent constipation, one can include the increase the intake of liquids in patients, making them do exercise and increasing their mobility as well as their intake of fibers and applying necessary pharmacological methods compliant with the recommendations from the physician. In patients with neurosurgery, constipation is a problem which can be prevented by using extensive nursing assessment and effective nursing interventions. This compilation aims at highlighting the fact that constipation is a serious symptom especially in neurosurgery patients and also at revealing the importance of nursing assessment. (JNNN 2014;3(2):81–87)