Elimination Objectives

Elimination Objectives

Identify commonly occurring alterations in elimination and treatments

Urinary:

Urinary incontinence is the involuntary leakage of urine. It is associated with stress (coughing and sneezing), neurological deficits (especially after spinal cord injury), and it is related to urgency (being unable to get to a toilet fast enough).

Treatment: Kegel exercise (repeated contracting and relaxing exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor), surgery, bladder training, and pharmacologic agents.

Urinary retention is the inability to empty the bladder completely. It can be either a complete lack of voiding or incomplete bladder emptying. It can be associated with overflow incontinence, pain, constant urge to urinate, and weak urinary flow.

Treatment: Credé maneuver (using manual pressure on the abdomen to empty the bladder), Urinary catheter insertion, discontinuing medications that cause retention, surgery, and urethral dilation.

Prostatic hyperplasia is the enlargement of the prostate (can be benign or malignant). It is associated with urinary retention, dribbling at the end of urination, incontinence, nocturnal enuresis and pain.

Treatment: Surgical removal, medications, Kegel exercises, scheduled bathroom visits, and limits on alcohol and caffeine.

Cancer of the urinary system is the abnormal cellular growth within the organs of the urinary tract. Symptoms can be blood in urine, frequent urination, painful urination, and back or pelvic pain.

Treatment: Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.

Kidney Stones is the formation of calculi within the calyx of the kidney. There is mild to severe pain in the side and back, pain in the abdomen or during urination. Cloudy or foul-smelling urine, frequent urination, nausea and vomiting are also associated with kidney stones.

Treatment: Analgesics, lithotripsy, dietary alteration to reduce risk of recurrence, and increased fluid intake.

Renal failure is the insufficient or...