This is my first practice nurse care plan and our group decided that Eating was more important to deal with first. A little background on example pt. The woman is surg post op 6 weeks for glioma. She is 57 yrs of age and has lost 7 lbs in 6 weeks. She is not interested in eating and is wearing a wig. She is not responding to laxatives. Do you think dealing with the eating problem is more important than constipation?
When my son is that constipated, he doesn’t want to eat. After the stool passes, then he starts to eat again. I always thought that it is not a good sign after surgery if the patient refuses to eat and does not have any bowel movements. Let the surgeon /doctor decide this. The stool can get compacted into pockets in the intestines and cause intense pain later. These two symptoms could be a sign of post-operative complications. Only a qualified surgeon can answer this.
If she isn’t eating ( Then she have no stool to pass. I’d worry about her eating, and you may need IV. if she refuses to eat.