Abstract
Due to ongoing improvements in medical care, the life expectancy of persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) continues to improve and approach that of the able-bodied population. As the SCI population ages, cancer would be expected to increase as a cause of death. When a patient presents with occult fecal blood and anemia, colonscopy to the cecum is often pursued. It has been our experience that 80 percent of patients are found to have inadequate bowel preps resulting in suboptimal colonoscopy when the prep is attempted at home. Because of this, we developed a nurse-administered carepath necessitating a 48-hour admission for bowel prep and colonoscopy. The bowel prep consists of magnesium citrate, polyethylene glycol-electrolyte solution, and sodium phosphate/biphosphate enemas. Throughout hospitalization, the patient receives a clear liquid diet. Eighteen patients have been placed on the carepath. At the time of colonoscopy, all 18 were noted to have received an acceptable bowel prep allowing vizualization to the cecum. A description of the carepath and its benefits is presented.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 14-15, 20 |
Journal | SCI nursing : a publication of the American Association of Spinal Cord Injury Nurses |
Volume | 16 |
Issue number | 1 |
State | Published - Mar 1999 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine(all)