Implementing a Post-discharge Education Program to Improve Ostomy Adjustment
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Date
2018-07-18
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Authors
Puckett, Heather
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Abstract
There are currently over 130,000 new ostomy surgeries done annually. Patients who lack the knowledge about caring for their ostomy adjust poorly to their new lifestyle. They are predisposed to uncertainty and anxiety. Ostomy education is needed following discharge to help improve ostomy adjustment. A quality improvement project was done to evaluate ostomy adjustment scores. Patients were provided educational material at their initial post-discharge office visit. Their ostomy adjustment scores were then evaluated two weeks later via telephone inquiry using the Ostomy Adjustment Inventory-23 (OAI-23) tool. Scores were compared to scores from patients not receiving education. While mean OAI-23 scores of patients receiving ostomy education were similar to those scores of patients not receiving education, higher adjustment scores were obtained sooner following discharge from patients receiving post-discharge education. Further follow-up with continued education should be done with new ostomy patients to ensure ostomy adjustment and satisfaction.