A nursing assessment tool for adults with fecal incontinence.

Fecal incontinence affects slightly more than 1% of community-dwelling adults. This article describes an assessment format, with a research basis when available, that has been developed in a specialist nursing clinic in the United Kingdom. The focus is on how to obtain the most useful information from the patient to plan appropriate nursing interventions. A subsequent article will describe the biofeedback program developed as part of a package of care to meet individual needs of persons with fecal incontinence.