How to give an enema
Other platforms explain it with text and video. In Making Synapses you practice it on the patient.
Position and slow flow make an enema safer and more comfortable.
Step by step
Order and explain
Type and volume; privacy; bedpan or toilet near. [1]
Position
Left side, right knee bent. [1]
Lubricate and insert
About 3 to 4 inches in adults, toward the navel. [1]
Slow flow
Warm solution, slowly; lower the bag or pause for cramps. [1]
Hold
As long as possible or as the product says. [1]
Result
Record the result and how the patient tolerated it. [1]
Common errors
- Forcing against resistance.
- Cold solution.
- Wrong side.
Practice it in Making Synapses
In Making Synapses you do this on the patient, not on paper: every step goes on the checklist with a score, and in Teach mode Blocky tells you what comes next.
Making Synapses cases that train this skill
Sources
- Open RN, Nursing Skills 2e (Chippewa Valley Technical College) (CC BY 4.0)
- OpenStax, Clinical Nursing Skills (reference)
Steps adapted from Open RN, Nursing Skills 2e (Chippewa Valley Technical College), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Facts and steps also follow OpenStax, Clinical Nursing Skills (reference). Making Synapses is not affiliated with these organizations. Updated: 2026-10-11.