Diarrhoea assessment tool

Section 1

Has the patient got diarrhoea?

• Bristol stool score 5 to 7? See Bristol stool chart here.
• Increase in frequency?
• Offensive smell?

If the answer to the above is yes then:

Assess whether there are any underlying factors, for example:

• inflammatory bowel disease
• overflow
• aperients
• enteral feeding
• patients normal bowel habit
• new medication
• medical treatment
• antibiotics

If there are underlying factors there should be a clinical review of the following:

• general condition
• bloods, WCC, CRP, creatine
• medication (if on antibiotics and or proton pump inhibitor consider Clostridium difficile infection)

If it is determined that it is non-infective diarrhoea a review or modification of treatment should be undertaken:

• underlying cause
• medication
• review clinical response 24 to 48 hours

If after review infection is suspected or there are no underlying factors, follow the procedure in section 2.

Section 2 infection suspected

If infection is suspected:

• move to a single room
• commence isolation precautions
• obtain specimen
• medical review including antibiotic therapy
• monitor stool chart

Page last reviewed: September 06, 2024
Next review due: September 06, 2025