What are some nursing interventions for diverticulitis?
For most cases of diverticulosis, a high-fiber diet and pain medications help resolve the problem. Healthcare providers may prescribe bed rest, oral antibiotics, and/or a liquid diet for a set period of time. Anticholinergics may be recommended.
What are interventions of diverticulitis?
Interventions to prevent recurrences of diverticulitis include increased intake of dietary fiber, exercise, cessation of smoking, and, in persons with a body mass index of 30 kg per m2 or higher, weight loss.
What is diverticulitis nursing?
Diverticulitis. When diverticula become inflamed or infected, the condition is referred to as diverticulitis. Food and bacteria lodge and harden in the diverticular sac. Inflammation results, followed by infection. Complications include abscess, obstruction, perforation, peritonitis, and hemorrhage.
Why is bed rest ordered for diverticulitis?
An attack of diverticulitis without complications may respond to antibiotics within a few days if treated early. To help the colon rest, the doctor may recommend bed rest and a liquid diet, along with a pain reliever. An acute attack with severe pain or severe infection may require a hospital stay.
What patient teaching would be needed for a patient newly diagnosed with diverticulitis?
Start with liquids only, then slowly add fiber over time. Watch for changes in your bowel movements (constipation to diarrhea). Prevent constipation with fiber and add a stool softener if needed. Get plenty of rest and sleep.
What is the primary treatment for diverticulosis?
Treatment generally involves: Intravenous antibiotics. Insertion of a tube to drain an abdominal abscess, if one has formed.
Is bed rest necessary for diverticulitis?
Uncomplicated diverticulitis patients can be treated without antibiotics, without bed rest, and without dietary restrictions; and a selected group of patients can be treated as outpatients.
Does bed rest help diverticulitis?
Diverticulitis is treated using diet modifications, antibiotics, and possibly surgery. Mild diverticulitis infection may be treated with bed rest, stool softeners, a liquid diet, antibiotics to fight the infection, and possibly antispasmodic drugs.
What should the nurse teach the patient with diverticulosis to do?
Instruct patients to avoid the use of laxatives or enemas as these agents increase pressure in the colon and therefore increase the risk of recurrent symptoms. Physical activity reduces the occurrences of painful episodes and as a result, nurses can encourage the patient to exercise regularly.
What should the nurse include in the discharge teaching plan for a client who has diverticulitis?
Discharge Instructions for Diverticulitis
- Eat a low-fiber diet at first while you recover.
- Foods to include: flake cereal, mashed potatoes, pancakes, waffles, pasta, white bread, rice, applesauce, bananas, eggs, fish, poultry, tofu, and well-cooked vegetables.
- Take your medicines as directed.
What are the priority nursing concepts for diverticulitis?
So our priority nursing concepts for a patient with diverticulosis or diverticulitis are pretty self-explanatory: comfort, infection control, and nutrition and elimination. Make sure you check out the care plan attached to this lesson for more detailed nursing interventions and rationales. So let’s recap.
How to increase bowel peristalsis in diverticulitis patients?
Encourage daily exercise such as walking, which increases bowel peristalsis. Teach the client about nursing care. Inform the client that all nursing interventions for diverticulitis are aimed at moving the stool through the colon as easily and with as little irritation as possible.
Why do you need NPO for diverticulitis?
So as far as nursing care for diverticulitis, we want to make them NPO so we can rest their bowel – the last thing they need is to try to digest food when their bowels are inflamed. And they’ll likely be on IV antibiotics.
What can be done at home for diverticulitis?
In uncomplicated diverticulitis where there is presence of mild symptoms, home treatment may be advised. The patient will be advised to maintain on liquid diet until the bowel heals and may progress with soft diet once the symptoms improve. Antibiotics. In some cases, oral antibiotics may be prescribed to treat any infection.
