Evaluation of Joint Intervention by Care Team in Defecation Control

We prepared a check list based on a standard care plan for constipated patients with the aim of achieving good defecation control and together with nurses and caregivers,used it in conducting medication management.Our subjects were 146 inpatients taking laxatives at the Kibikougen Lumiere Hospital.In consideration of objectivity,we excluded 64 patients,leaving 82 patients for the evaluation.The period of our study was December 2004 to May 2005 and medication management was conducted in the last 3 months.The frequency of constipation and drug costs were compared between before and after medication management was introduced.The average frequency of constipation(2.2±0.3 times vs.1.6±0.2 times ; p<0.05)and the average drug costs(1,692± 247.1 yen vs.1,320±212.2 yen ; p<0.05)decreased significantly after the introduction of medication management.We therefore consider that our joint intervention with nurses based on use of the check list was successful in improving defecation.