Abstract

Dehydration and constipation are prevalent and interrelated concerns among elderly residents in long-term care (LTC) settings, contributing to reduced quality of life and preventable complications. This quality improvement project evaluated a structured, evidence-based intervention aimed at improving hydration, supporting gut health, and reducing constipation. A pre- and post-intervention design was implemented over six weeks in a pilot unit (n = 15 residents). The intervention included staff education, daily hydration monitoring, bowel tracking using the Bristol Stool Form Scale, and non-pharmacological strategies such as hydration prompts and fiber-supportive practices. Descriptive statistics and paired-samples t tests (α = .05) were used to assess outcomes. Mean hydration intake increased significantly from 1298.28 mL to 1454.14 mL (p < .001), and the percentage of hydration goal achieved improved from 86.55 to 96.97% (p < .001). Weekly bowel movements increased, while days since last bowel movement decreased significantly (p < .001). PRN laxative use decreased but was not statistically significant. Overall, findings demonstrate that the intervention improved hydration and bowel regularity and is feasible for integration into routine LTC practice. However, results should be interpreted cautiously due to the small sample size and single-site design.

Description

NRS 890: Doctoral Scholarly Project IV

Author Details

Mendi A. Mbuan, DNP, RN, FNP - 14 years of nursing experience shared in different sectors: Geriatrics, Med-surge, and Pediatrics

Sigma Membership

Tau Tau

Type

DNP Capstone Project

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

Quality Improvement

Research Approach

Quantitative Research

Keywords:

Gut Health, Gut Microbiota, Hydration, Dehydration, Constipation, Long-Term Care, Long-Term Health Care, Nursing Home Residents, Nursing Care Facilities, Health of Older People, Elderly, Elder Care, Older People, Bowel Management

Advisor

Devon N. Wilhelm-McMullen

Second Advisor

Alice Kindschuh

Third Advisor

Tara Whitmire

Degree

DNP

Degree Grantor

Nebraska Methodist College

Degree Year

2026

Rights Holder

All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

Review Type

None: Degree-based Submission

Acquisition

Self-submission

Date of Issue

2026-10-20

Full Text of Presentation

wf_yes

Download
Click on the above link to access the paper.

Share

COinS