Should small ones count? (BMs that is)

At our place 2 days without bm is automatic prune juice even if they had 2 small ones in a row.
At a facility I worked at in PA, small bm's did not count. Neither did 2smalls make a medium. neither counted.

How about 2 small loose?

Quote from GLORIAmunchkin72At our place 2 days without bm is automatic prune juice even if they had 2 small ones in a row.

Quote from brownbookI have been out of nursing school a long time, and never worked long term care so am no expert on this. But from nursing school I think I remember that even impacted patients can have small loose or firm stools?

This title made me lolI agree with the above. Use your judgement. I had a patient occasionally giving us a few nuggets here and there, and then ended up filling up an entire bedpan with stool later on. Smallish liquid stools are also a tell-tale sign of impaction.

While little ones here and there are better than nothing, that wouldn't negate the need for a little laxative help.

if in doubt, a nurse can always do a digital to feel for stool.fwiw, i think it all should be recorded - large, small, loose, hard, etc.i've worked with some cna's who recorded large bm qd...and that just wasn't the case.a distended abd, sluggish bowel sounds and pt complaints of constipation, were the telltale signs. so yes op, we record it all and intervene per pt presentation, on a daily basis.leslie

Man, I would be sick and tired of prune juice if I lived at your place! What about those who only have a couple BMs per week under normal circumstances?(someone remind me to jump off a cliff before I ever end up in a LTC facility!)

"man, i would be sick and tired of prune juice if i lived at your place! what about those who only have a couple bms per week under normal circumstances?"i know...i have been threatened with bodily harm. not really. but i have had some pretty nasty glares from a few really 'anti-prune juice' residents. mention the juice and they bristle!

Quote from brillohead(someone remind me to jump off a cliff before I ever end up in a LTC facility!)

Quote from leslie :-Doh gawd, i sooo agree.my husband and kids KNOW not to put me *there*.leslie

Quote from brilloheadMan, I would be sick and tired of prune juice if I lived at your place! What about those who only have a couple BMs per week under normal circumstances?(someone remind me to jump off a cliff before I ever end up in a LTC facility!)