Overview
Introduction
Diarrhea is the passage of three or more loose or liquid stools in 24 hours, or stooling that is more frequent and loose than the patient’s normal pattern.
Diarrhea is the passage of three or more loose or liquid stools in 24 hours, or stooling that is more frequent and loose than the patient’s normal pattern. It is not simply frequent formed stool, and loose pasty stool can be normal in breastfed infants. The RN priority is not “stopping the stool” first. The priority is to assess and treat fluid loss, electrolyte imbalance, perfusion risk, infection transmission, and the underlying cause. Diarrhea may be acute watery, acute bloody/inflammatory, or persistent. Acute watery diarrhea is commonly viral or toxin-mediated; bloody diarrhea suggests intestinal inflammation or invasive infection; persistent diarrhea lasts 14 days or longer and needs broader evaluation.