An ostomy nurse cares for patients who have had ostomy surgery, helping them prepare for the procedure, tending to wounds, and teaching them how to care for their stoma and use ostomy supplies. They also provide emotional support to patients adjusting to this big change.
An ostomy nurse is a healthcare professional who cares for patients with an ostomy. An ostomy is a hole that a surgeon creates to allow an internal organ to have an outlet to the outside of the body. The main types of ostomy surgery include ileostomies, which involve connecting the small intestine to an opening in the abdomen, and colostomies, which connect the large intestine to an opening in the abdomen. Both allow the body to expel waste, bypassing the rectum and exiting the anus.
An individual who works as an ostomy nurse cares for patients with injuries, illnesses and conditions that require ostomy surgery. For example, ostomy nurses help care for patients with a perforated bowel, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, and wounds that affect the digestive tract. In some cases, they care for patients who receive temporary ostomies. After these patients heal, they can return to the surgeons to have the procedure reversed. In other cases, however, patients must adjust to permanent ostomies; an ostomy nurse also helps these patients.
Part of an ostomy nurse’s job can be helping their patient prepare for surgery and understand what to expect before, during, and after the procedure. Working with men, women, and children who need ostomies, he can provide preoperative instruction on caring for a stoma and using an ostomy bag to help the patient begin to adjust to the idea before the procedure. In addition to providing medical care to the patient prior to surgery, this type of nurse can also provide emotional support as patients prepare for this big change.
After surgery, an ostomy nurse will typically tend to the patient’s wounds and help ensure that the stoma heals properly. He carries out the instructions provided by the surgeon and shows the patient how to care for his stoma and use his ostomy supplies. For example, an ostomy nurse can show the patient how to use an ostomy bag and empty it, when to change it, and how to continue normal activities while wearing it. Often, an ostomy nurse will also explain a doctor’s orders about what to eat or avoid when using an ostomy bag system and when to seek medical attention. A patient may need to return to the hospital, for example, if they develop signs of infection, become very ill, or fail to see regular waste output.
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