Managing constipation using a research-based protocol.

Constipation, a common health problem particularly for elderly and hospitalized patients, can cause abdominal pain, discomfort, gas, headaches, nausea, anorexia, a bad taste in the mouth, and potentially adds to functional loss and length of stay. As part of a quality improvement initiative, a research-based interdisciplinary protocol was developed to prevent constipation in hospitalized immobile vascular surgery patients. Using a combination of dietary fiber, increased fluid, and hygiene measures over a 3-year period, incidence of constipation was reduced from 59% to about 9%. The incidence of impaction was eliminated and requests for laxatives and enemas were reduced from 59% to about 8%.