Routine Care of Ostomy — Resources for Healthcare Professionals

At Hollister, we help healthcare professionals provide the best possible support for ostomy patients. Not just with the right products, but also with the right educational resources.

Therefore, we've created a quick guide to different ostomy resources you can use with your patients—these range from everyday essentials to technical stoma management. We have designed the first three for you to share with patients and keep them reassured during this challenging time in their lives. The fourth resource highlights the challenges associated with fistula management and provides a list of patient/nurse goals.

Finally, we have included several educational guides and videos your patients can read or view independently. We're here to help keep you and your patients informed during this difficult time.

Routine care of your ostomy

Click the heading for a quick bullet-pointed guide to the basics of living with an ostomy, ideal for patients who have recently had stoma surgery.

It discusses how to maximize comfort and efficiency when wearing pouching systems. It then moves on to the topic of maintaining good peristomal skincare, with some simple "dos and don'ts."

The third section features ideas for establishing a daily routine and avoiding potential problems before they happen. It's always good to remind patients about the importance of staying in touch with their healthcare professionals – so they'll never hesitate to voice any concerns.

There's also a simple glossary that explains in simple language some of the words and phrases new stoma patients might hear. And we've included space at the end for you to add your notes or tips for each patient.

Colostomy irrigation

This guide is for colostomy patients who irrigate or would like to learn about irrigating. It starts by explaining in reassuring terms the basics of irrigation– in particular, why some patients can use irrigation and others can't. The PDF includes the importance of following the advice of doctors and healthcare professionals.

This resource features step-by-step instructions for using the Hollister irrigation set. Such a resource can free patients from the stress of feeling they need to memorize complicated instructions.

Finally, we have included a set of Frequently Asked Questions. These will help you to put your patient's mind at rest and remind them that there are resources to support them with this procedure.

High output ileostomy

This patient guide uses a traffic light system to make potentially complex information easy to follow for a high output ileostomy.

Green, amber, and red color coding show the differences between normal ileostomy output and that of a high output ileostomy which requires medical attention. It also highlights what each patient needs to be cautious about and any symptoms that may indicate dehydration.

You will also find clear advice on eating, drinking, and managing a high output ileostomy, as well as dealing with problems as they occur.

We have provided the patient with an Ostomy Output Tracking matrix, so that they can note down their intake and output. That means data is ready for whenever they need to talk to you or another healthcare professional.

Fistula management

Developing an abnormal opening in the body as a result of disease or following surgery can be a frightening experience for any patient.

It is vital that you, as their healthcare professional, can reassure them as much as possible with clear factual information, calm advice, and knowledgeable management of the situation.

We have designed the fistula management guide to put the facts at your fingertips in easy reference topics and bullet points. The language is concise and patient-friendly.

The resource allows you to identify the critical goals of fistula management step by step. It then completes the picture by matching each fistula management objective to the relevant Hollister product – providing information on what you need to know about them.

Resources for healthcare professionals to share with their patients

As well as relying on healthcare professionals, patients themselves need the right information to live independently. It is the case whether they are about to have surgery or have been living with their stoma for several years.

You can help with that because a wealth of educational resources are available in our learning centre. Essential topics include what an ostomy is and what the different types of ostomy are. For people already living with a stoma, there are guidance articles on understanding products and knowing how to empty or change a pouch. There's vital information on keeping skin healthy, too.

Nowadays, many people prefer their information in video form, and that will include many of your patients. Therefore, we've included helpful educational videos in the resources section of our website to help answer many of the common questions ostomy patients have. Each video is easy to follow and never more than a few minutes long. Topics include "what can I eat?" "measuring a stoma," and "applying a one-piece drainable pouch."

Every patient is different, of course, and some will want resources that go into the subject in greater depth. That's precisely what our Ostomy Educational Guides do. You can find a set of care tip sheets at the same location.

Finally, interactive guides are increasingly popular, and this is an excellent one on completing a Peristomal Skin Assessment. It's good to have this handy if your patients experience common complications or are not sure if they need to contact a healthcare professional.

Visit our Professional Resources section regularly for the latest patient guides and ostomy information.