Behavioral Characteristics of Bowel Movement and Urination Needs in Patients With Dementia in Taiwan
Authors: Shih Yen-Hua , Wang Chi-Jane , Sue En-Ping , Wang Jing-Jy 
Published: June 2015

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1.2
contact hours will be awarded by Villanova University College of Nursing upon successful completion of this activity. A contact hour is a unit of measurement that denotes 60 minutes of an organized learning activity. This is a learner-based activity. Villanova University College of Nursing does not require submission of your answers to the quiz. A contact hour certificate will be awarded once you register, pay the registration fee, and complete the evaluation form online at
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. To obtain contact hours you must:

1.

Read the article, “Behavioral Characteristics of Bowel Movement and Urination Needs in Patients With Dementia in Taiwan” found on pages 22–29, carefully noting any tables and other illustrative materials that are included to enhance your knowledge and understanding of the content. Be sure to keep track of the amount of time (number of minutes) you spend reading the article and completing the quiz.

2.

Read and answer each question on the quiz. After completing all of the questions, compare your answers to those provided within this issue. If you have incorrect answers, return to the article for further study.

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Go to the Villanova website listed above to register for contact hour credit. You will be asked to provide your name; contact information; and a VISA, MasterCard, or Discover card number for payment of the $20.00 fee. Once you complete the online evaluation, a certificate will be automatically generated.

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Contact Hours

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Activity Objectives

1.

Explain common behaviors indicating excretion needs in patients with dementia.

2.

Distinguish the unique behavioral characteristics of bowel and urination needs in patients with dementia.

Disclosure Statement

Neither the planners nor the authors have any conflicts of interest to disclose.

Patients with dementia, especially those with advanced dementia, may not be able to express their bowel movement and urination needs using lucid language, and instead do so through behaviors. The aim of the current study was to understand and compare the behavioral characteristics of bowel movement and urination needs in patients with dementia. Observations were made by caregivers of 187 patients with dementia based on the Behavior Checklist developed by the research team for bowel movement and urination. Sixteen behavioral characteristics were identified for both bowel movement and urination; among these, anxiety, taking off/putting on clothes inappropriately, restlessness, attempting to go elsewhere, scratching skin, repeated behavior, and making strange sounds were commonly reported. Facial expressions of sorrow, restlessness, and anxiety were the three most common behaviors related to bowel movement needs, whereas anxiety, taking off/putting on clothes inappropriately, and constant moaning were the most common behaviors for urination needs. The findings suggest that the common behavioral characteristics could be seen as indicators of excretion need and the others can be used to distinguish between the need for bowel movement and urination. [
Journal of Gerontological Nursing
,
41
(6), 22–29.]