Elimination

Elimination is the excretion of metabolic waste through urine and stool, and tracking it is a core nursing assessment. Monitor intake and output along with each client’s normal pattern so problems — retention, oliguria, diarrhea, or constipation — are caught early. Increasing fluids and fiber and encouraging activity prevents constipation, while a sudden change in output can signal dehydration, renal impairment, or obstruction that the provider must be told about.