# Nursing Support for Constipation in Palliative Care Units in Japan: A Multisite Cross-Sectional Study

## TL;DR

This study explores how often nurses in Japan's palliative care units use various methods to help cancer patients with constipation in their final months and weeks.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into the underutilization of specific nursing interventions for constipation in palliative care.

## Key findings

- Warm compresses were the most frequently used nursing support for constipation.
- Auricular acupressure and abdominal massage with essential oils were rarely used.
- Self-management education was more common in the final weeks of care.

## Abstract

This study investigated the frequency with which nursing support for constipation is provided for patients with cancer during the prognostic months and weeks.

An online cross-sectional survey was conducted anonymously among registered nurses in palliative care units across Japan. The frequencies of providing six types of nursing support (abdominal massage with essential oils, abdominal acupressure, auricular acupressure, self-management education, abdominal massage, and warm compresses) were surveyed.

Data were obtained from 539 nurses (response rate: 22.3%) from 162 facilities. The most frequently provided support was warm compression; the least frequently provided supports were auricular acupressure, abdominal massage with essential oils, and abdominal acupressure. In the prognostic weeks only, self-management education followed these support types.

The investigation found that the six types of support were rarely implemented for relieving constipation in patients with cancer. Future research should investigate the factors hindering the provision of these supports.