A patient requests the nurse's help to the bedside commode and becomes frustrated when unable to void in front of the nurse. How should the nurse interpret the patient's inability to void?
A) The patient can be anxious, making it difficult for abdominal and perineal muscles to relax enough to void.
B) The patient does not recognize the physiological signals that indicate a need to void.
C) The patient is lonely, and calling the nurse in under false pretenses is a way to get attention.
D) The patient is not drinking enough fluids to produce adequate urine output.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Attempting to void in the presence of another can cause anxiety and tension in the muscles that make voiding difficult. Anxiety can impact bladder emptying due to inadequate relaxation of the pelvic floor muscles and urinary sphincter. The nurse should give the patient privacy and adequate time if appropriate. No evidence suggests that an underlying physiological (does not recognize signals or not drinking enough fluids) or psychological (lonely) condition exists.

A Patient Requests the Nurse's Help to the Bedside Commode