Drinking plenty of fluid is vital for good health, but hydration requirements are more complex for people with an ileostomy, as they have a shorter bowel to absorb fluids and electrolytes with. This becomes an even greater challenge during physical activity and sport, when further fluid is lost through sweat. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of different drinks, including their osmolarity and how much glucose and electrolytes they contain. This article aims to provide information for nurses to be able to confidently support people with an ileostomy to appropriately manage their hydration requirements.
Maintaining skin integrity is vital to ensure good adhesion of the stoma pouch, and to avoid discomfort for the person with a stoma, ensuring a good quality of life. However, there are many risk factors associated with potential peristomal skin soreness, and a large number of research studies have highlighted the vast number of patients who actually experience these problems ( Mahjoubi, 2005 ; Ratliff et al, 2005 ; Herlufsen et al, 2006 ; Lynch et al, 2008 ; Meisner and Balleby, 2008 ). Clinical nurse specialists in stoma care are responsible for ensuring that all patients are fully assessed, and also that patients are given appropriate evidence-based care to avoid peristomal skin irritation, where possible. This article will discuss the common causes of peristomal skin breakdown, the tools available to assist with assessment, and how to best treat peristomal skin irritation.
Usage and opinion of accessory products in stoma care vary enormously. The aim of this study was to identify what constitutes an accessory product and to find out whether there is any standardization regarding their recommendation. Views of both patients and stoma nurses were examined. Patients identify accessory products as being necessary both physically and psychologically in improving their quality of life. While stoma nurses identify that the psychological effects of having a stoma should never be underestimated, there is still concern regarding the cost of recommending these products and their clinical necessity. It would appear that clinical necessity is based on nurses' opinions and is not always evidence or research based. Since accessory products have been shown to be essential to many patients with a stoma, should stoma nurses be more empathetic when considering their recommendation?
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