The nursing role in treatment and education of patients with irritable bowel syndrome

Sindrom iritabilnog crijeva je funkcionalni poremećaj probavnog sustava koji je poznat u medicinskoj literaturi već četrdesetak godina, no unatoč tome i usprkos jasno određenim kriterijima, nailazi se na problem samog dijagnosticiranja. U općoj populaciji ima visoku incidenciju i prevalenciju te je jedan od najučestalijih gastroinestinalnih stanja. Glavni simptomi koji obilježavaju ovaj poremećaj jesu fluktuirajuća bol ili nelagoda u abdomenu koja se najčešće smanjuje nakon defekacije te karakteristične promjene u konzistenciji i frekvenciji stolice. S obzirom na nepoznatu etiologiju bolesti, liječenje je empirijsko te se sastoji od dijetetskih, psiholoških i farmakoloških intervencija. Iz podataka da se radi o kroničnoj bolesti koja je sklona pogoršanjima, vidljiva je važnost zadaće medicinske seste u skrbi bolesnika. Sestra je ta koja bolesnika upućuje na važnost dijetoterapije, odnosno u slučaju potrebe, upućuje dijetetičaru na daljnje konzultacije. Pruža psihološku podršku i po potrebi upućuje na psihološku terapiju te, naravno, objašnjava način provedbe farmakološke terapije i moguće nuspojave istih.Irritable bowel syndrome is a functional disorder of the gastrointestinal system which is well known in the medical literature for the past 40 years, but inspite of that, and inspite of the criteria that is strictly set, there is still a problem with diagnosis. It has a high incidence and prevalence and is one of the most common gastrointestinal condition. Main symptoms which characterize this disorder are fluctuating pain and discomfort in the abdomena area, which is often relieved after defecation and characteristic changes in consistency and frequency of the stool. Because etiology of the disease is unknown, the treatment is empiric and consists of dietary, psyhologic and farmacological interventions. From the data that tells that disease is chronical and relapsing we can see the importance of the nurse in the process of patient health care. The nurse is the one that informs the patient about the importance of diet therapy and in the case of need the nurse directs the patient to a dietician for further consultations. The nurse gives a psyhological support and if needed directs the patient to a psyhological therapy and of course explains the way of conducting farmacological therapy and possible side effect of the same