The male client is weak, has diarrhea, and declines use of the bedside commode. Which is the best nursing intervention to maintain client safety?

Question

1. Keep the commode out of the client's sight until it is needed.
2. Reassure the client that most people use the commode willingly.
3. Instruct the client that the only alternative for elimination is to use the bedpan.
4. Explain to the client how the nurse ensures privacy and safety when using the commode.

Answer 1

4
4. The nurse increases the likelihood of the client using the commode by explaining how the nurse ensures safety and privacy while the client uses the commode. The nurse places the call bell and other items that the client needs or wants within easy reach, covers the client sufficiently for privacy and warmth, pulls the privacy curtain, and prevents other people from entering the room while the client sits on the com-mode. Because the client is weak and has diarrhea, the client is at risk for injury be-cause he can have difficulty supporting his weight and ambulating to the bathroom safely. The nurse also explains how ambulating to the bathroom in a hurry to have a bowel movement increases the risk of client injury.
1. Hiding the commode is deceitful and defeats the purpose of placing a commode at the bedside if the client has a sudden stool.
2 Comparing the client to other clients to induce cooperation shames the client and is improper; in addition, it denies the client the right to information and to informed consent.
3. Telling the client the only alternative is to use the bedpan can be interpreted as coercion and a veiled threat. The nurse can suggest using a bedpan instead of the commode, but the commode is a better choice because it helps to maintain client muscle strength and endurance.