The nurse is taking care of a client who states that he ignores the urge to defecate when he is at work. Which response should the nurse make to explain why this practice should be changed?
1. "If you continue to ignore the urge to defecate, the urge is ultimately lost."
2. "It is best to suppress the urge rather than suffer embarrassment at work."
3. "This is a common practice, and it will strengthen the reflex later."
4. "You will get the urge later; don't worry."
Correct Answer: 1
Rationale 1: When the normal defecation reflexes are inhibited, these conditioned reflexes tend to be progressively weakened. When the urge to defecate is ignored, water continues to be reabsorbed, making the feces hard and difficult to expel. Ignoring the urge repeatedly will eventually cause the urge to be lost.
Rationale 2: This response does not explain why the client should change the practice.
Rationale 3: Ignoring the urge will not strengthen the reflex later. Eventually the urge will be lost.
Rationale 4: The urge can be lost.
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