A nurse is caring for an older adult client who has fecal incontinence. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

Training the bladder by voiding every 5 hr. is incorrect. For individuals experiencing urinary incontinence, scheduled voiding at regular intervals might be a part of the management plan. However, the specific interval of every 5 hours might not suit everyone, as it depends on individual bladder capacity and function. Scheduled voiding should be tailored to the individual's needs and not solely based on a fixed time frame.

Choice B Reason:

Applying adult diapers at bedtime is incorrect. While using protective garments like adult diapers may manage urinary incontinence during sleep, it doesn't address the underlying issue or provide a solution to improve the condition.

Choice C Reason:

Performing pelvic-muscle exercises is correct. Pelvic floor muscle exercises, also known as Kegel exercises, can help strengthen the muscles that support the bladder and control urine flow. This can potentially improve urinary incontinence by enhancing bladder control.

Choice D Reason:

Drinking citrus juice with meals is incorrect. Citrus juices can irritate the bladder and potentially exacerbate urinary incontinence for some individuals. Advising the consumption of citrus juice might not be beneficial and could worsen symptoms in certain cases.

Choice A Reason:

A client who has ulcerative colitis is correct. Ulcerative colitis, a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), involves chronic inflammation and ulceration in the colon and rectum. This condition often results in bleeding from the inflamed mucosa, leading to the presence of blood in the stool that can be detected by a fecal occult blood test.

Choice B Reason:

A client who has stomatitis is incorrect. Stomatitis refers to inflammation in the mouth and does not typically cause bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract, which is what the fecal occult blood test detects. Stomatitis involves oral lesions or sores but does not directly impact stool blood content.

Choice C Reason:

A client who uses laxatives is incorrect. Laxative use does not necessarily cause bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract. While some laxatives can potentially irritate the intestinal lining, leading to minor bleeding in some cases, the presence of blood in the stool due to laxative use is less common compared to conditions like ulcerative colitis, where chronic inflammation and ulceration lead to significant bleeding.

Choice D Reason:

A client who has cholecystitis is incorrect. Cholecystitis is inflammation of the gallbladder and does not directly involve bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract. It typically presents with symptoms related to gallbladder inflammation such as abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting, rather than causing bleeding that would be detected by a fecal occult blood test.