What should the nurse anticipate promoting during a bowel retraining program for a client with spinal cord injury?

During a bowel retraining program for a client with a spinal cord injury, the focus is on promoting normal bowel function, which often involves stimulating the parasympathetic reflex center. This center plays a critical role in facilitating bowel movements by triggering peristalsis and the coordinated contraction of intestinal muscles. In patients with spinal cord injuries, bowel function is frequently impaired due to disrupted nerve signals; hence, activating the parasympathetic system is essential to restore proper bowel function and regularity.

This approach helps to establish a routine for bowel movements, reduce constipation, and promote healthy stool consistency by encouraging natural reflexes that may otherwise be diminished due to the injury. It’s important to create an environment and routine that encourages the body's natural urges and strengthens the connection between brain and bowel, assisting in the rehabilitation process.

The other options would not contribute positively to a bowel retraining program. Low intestinal roughage would likely exacerbate constipation rather than help with stool formation. Constricting the anal sphincter would interfere with the ability to have a bowel movement. Lastly, having low water content in the stool would lead to harder stools, complicating bowel movements and further contributing to issues like constipation.