Managing Constipation: Implementing a Protocol in a Geriatric Rehabilitation Setting
Authors: Klein Jennifer , Holowaty Sandra 
Published: May 2014

How to Obtain Contact Hours by Reading this Article

Instructions

1.3
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
https://villanova.gosignmeup.com/dev_students.asp?action=browse&main=Nursing+Journals&misc=564
. To obtain contact hours you must:

1.
Read the article, “Managing Constipation: Implementing a Protocol in a Geriatric Rehabilitation Setting” found on pages 18–27, 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.

3.
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.

This activity is valid for continuing education credit until July 31, 2016.

Contact Hours
This activity is co-provided by Villanova University College of Nursing and SLACK Incorporated.
Villanova University College of Nursing is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

Activity Objectives

1.
Identify common reasons for high constipation rates among hospitalized older adults.

2.
Describe outcomes of implementing a Constipation Management Protocol (CMP) within a hospital setting.

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

This study examined the effect of implementing a constipation management protocol (CMP) within a geriatric rehabilitation setting. A convergent mixed-methods research design was used. Quantitative data on bowel activity, laxative use, opiate drug use, and nursing documentation regarding bowel care were gathered through a review of health records for 305 patients admitted to three geriatric rehabilitation units before (
n
= 137) and after (
n
= 168) protocol implementation over two 3-month periods. Focus groups were conducted examining nursing staff’s experiences with such a protocol. Findings revealed that although implementation of the CMP did not reduce constipation rates among older patients, the average number of incidences of constipation per patient was reduced after implementation of the protocol. More importantly, it resulted in more due diligence by staff regarding patients’ bowel patterns as well as improved bowel care documentation. Findings and recommendations extend current literature and have practical implications for nurses interested in improving management of patients’ bowel care. [
Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 40
(8), 18–27.]