Describing and analyzing constipation in acute care.

Many patients in acute care hospitals experience constipation, yet the literature on constipation focuses on long-term care and does not provide tools for describing and analyzing bowel management from the perspective of health care professionals or patients. The article describes the development of a bowel management task force at one acute care hospital and the initial steps taken to improve clinical quality in this area. A multifaceted approach was used to collect baseline data on practice, expectations, and problems related to bowel management. Valuable data were obtained from both patients and health care providers that have provided direction for improving clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction.