A 75-year-old client with a history of osteoarthritis has been prescribed a daily dose of an opioid analgesic for chronic pain management. The client reports not having a bowel movement in four days and complains of abdominal discomfort and bloating. Which of the following interventions would be the most appropriate for managing the client's condition?
Encourage the client to increase dietary fiber and fluids.
Instruct the client to perform light physical activity, such as walking.
Administer a laxative approved by the healthcare provider.
Opioid medications commonly cause constipation due to their effect on decreasing gastrointestinal motility. Encouraging fiber intake and increasing fluids can help alleviate mild constipation, but administering a laxative (preferably one recommended by the healthcare provider, such as a stool softener like docusate sodium) is essential for addressing constipation caused by opioids. Physical activity can also promote bowel motility but may not always be sufficient in cases of medication-induced constipation. Enemas are reserved for more severe constipation that does not respond to other interventions.
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