Coprolite assessment in nursing research and practice.

Abstract

A reliable assessment of stools without the use of metabolic assays of stool content has not previously existed. The Wanger Stool Assessment Instrument (WSAI) was initially conceived as an efficacy outcome measure for a clinical investigation of enteral feedings. The WSAI is a descriptive tool that has three scales: a seven-category color scale, an ordinal scale that describes amount, and an ordinal scale that ranks consistency of stools. Instrument testing and development were conducted in stages. Nursing staff using the instrument reported that its use improved data collection as well as the patient information communicated among health care staff.