Assess bowel function. Check for bowel sounds in all four quadrants and record the presence or absence, pitch, and frequency of the sounds. Palpate abdomen for rebound, tenderness, and firmness. Measure abdominal girth at umbilicus every 8 hours. Patients with bowel obstruction experience a large amount of pain.
Morphine sulphate is known to decrease intestinal motility and cause nausea and vomiting.
Proper wound healing and patient recovery depend on sufficient nutritional support, meticulous wound care, and careful assessment for signs of infection. Administer broad-spectrum antibiotics as prescribed. Prepare patient for surgery if a perforation occurs or if the obstruction necessitates surgery. If enteral feeding cannot be resumed, parenteral hyperalimentation may be indicated. Activities requiring extra energy should be avoided while restoring the patient's nutritional status to an optimal level.