The nurse is evaluating the effectiveness of interventions to address a client's bowel and bladder dysfunction as a result of a spinal cord injury. Which of the following would indicate that the interventions are successful?

Question

1. The client has an indwelling urinary catheter and is provided with stool softeners every morning.
2. The client had two episodes of impacted stool over the last week.
3. The client is improving in ability to perform self-urinary catheterization.
4. The client is limiting fluids to reduce need to void.

Answer 1

3. The client is improving in ability to perform self-urinary catheterization.

Rationale:
An ideal outcome for the client with bowel and bladder dysfunction as a result of a spinal cord injury would be for the client to attain appropriate bowel and bladder elimination habits If the client's ability to perform self-urinary catheterization is improving, the interventions can be considered successful. The client with an indwelling urinary catheter receiving stool softeners every morning is not progressing toward bowel and bladder elimination habits. The client who had two episodes of impacted stool over the last week is not progressing in bowel elimination habits. The client who is limiting fluids to reduce the need to void is possibly hindering his health in order to avoid having to perform self-urinary catheterization.