Assessment of Hydration / Dehydration Research Assignment

Assessment
Name
Institution
Date
Key points in taking a thorough history of the current complaint.
Stool patterns and consistency is considered based on the child’s age (Silkworth, 2015)
Assessment of hydration/ dehydration
Determining when the problem of constipation/ diarrhea started
Frequency of bowel movements
Dietary history and nutrition prior and after history of constipation and diarrhea
Past treatment using medications
Evaluating whether has been irritability and stomach cramps
Assessment of whether history of diarrhea is prolonged or acute
Assessment of whether there are concurrent problems that worsen constipation/ diarrhea.
Assess whether there is abdominal pain
Physical assessment and role of school nurse
The physical assessment would consider the defecation pattern focusing on frequency and timing, while using past medical history to determine severity of constipation and diarrhea (Weidler, 2016). Assessing the diet and fluid intake is also undertaken as this may be affecting the gastrointestinal system. Constipation is associated with passing delayed, infrequent and hard stool that may cause pain and soiling. On the other hand, diarrhea is associated with frequent watery stool. Nurses can work together with...