Nurse Michelle should know that the drainage is normal four (4) days after a sigmoid colostomy when the stool is:
A. Green liquid
B. Solid formed
C. Loose, bloody
D. Semiformed
Correct Answer: C. Loose, bloody
Normal bowel function and soft-formed stool usually do not occur until around the seventh day following surgery. The stool consistency is related to how much water is being absorbed.
Option A: Food, medicines, and other things ingested can affect the consistency or color of the stool.
Option B: A formed stool may occur a week after the surgery.
Option D: The stool from a colostomy can be thin or thick liquid, or semiformed.