Word parts
What it means
Describes anything about stool. Fecal incontinencein-KON-tih-nensLoss of control over the bladder or bowel, so urine or stool leaks out without the person meaning it to.in- notcontin/o to hold back-ence state ofFull entry is loss of bowel control. A fecal impaction is a hard mass of stool stuck in the rectum. The fecal-oral route is how some germs, such as hepatitis A and C. difficilesee dif-uh-SEELClostridioides difficile, a spore-forming bacterium that can infect the colon (the large intestine).Full entry , spread from stool to the mouth by unwashed hands or food.
For the nurse
Hand washing with soap and water, not just alcohol gel, is needed after contact with stool from a client with C. difficile.
At a glance
| Spanish | fecal |
|---|---|
| Also written | faecal |
Related terms
constipation
Bowel movements that happen less often than usual, with hard, dry stool that is difficult to pass.
incontinence
Loss of control over the bladder or bowel, so urine or stool leaks out without the person meaning it to.
fecal occult blood test
A test of a stool sample for tiny amounts of blood that cannot be seen with the eye.
elimination
The removal of waste from the body, mainly as urine and stool; also the removal of a drug from the body.