The greatest risk for injury for a client who has fecal incontinence i

The greatest risk for injury for a client who has fecal incontinence is:

1. Perineal and rectal skin breakdown
2. The contamination of existing wounds
3. Falls resulting from attempts to reach the bathroom
4. Cross-contamination into the upper gastrointestinal tract

ANSWER

ANS: 1
Fecal incontinence is a potentially dangerous condition in terms of contamination and risk for skin ulceration. The greatest risk to the otherwise healthy individual is skin breakdown. Although the other options may be risk factors, they are not as great as that of skin breakdown.