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This article provides practitioners with information about how to perform digital removal of faeces in a safe, effective and patient-centred manner, promoting privacy and dignity. Passing faecal matter is essential to enable the elimination of waste. For some people, however, defecation is not possible without some form of intervention; this could be the administration of oral medication or an enema, insertion of suppositories or digital removal of faeces.
Bowel care is a fundamental aspect of patient care.
Digital removal of faeces should be performed by a practitioner competent in this skill.
Digital removal of faeces is an invasive procedure and should only be carried out when necessary following holistic patient assessment.
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Nursing Standard. 30, 40, 36-39. doi: 10.7748/ns.30.40.36.s43
Correspondence Peer reviewAll articles are subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software.
Received: 03 March 2016
Accepted: 14 April 2016
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