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Background: The Ostomy Skin Tool (OST) offers a structured way to assess the peristomal skin conditions1. It is used to evaluate peristomal skin clinical signs: discoloration (D), erosion/ulcer (E) or excoriation and tissue overgrowth (T). Within each domain, the OST evaluates the area of peristomal skin that is affected and the severity of the problem. The sum of the scores for each domain is the DET score.
Objectives: The OST was validated by evaluating healthcare professional’s peristomal skin clinical observations to: self-assessment (intra-observer reliability), a second observer assessment (inter-observer reliability) and an estimated gold standard (validity).
Methods: Thirty photographs of peristomal skin were presented to 20 nurses (10 from Denmark and 10 from Spain) and a 5 member expert panel of 3 nurses and 2 dermatologists (estimated gold standard). The healthcare professionals assessed the peristomal skin conditions by using the OST to determine the DET score. In addition, the expert panel assessed the severity of skin conditions from healthy skin to worst skin problem ever on a 0-10 point scale.
Study outcomes: To study intra- observer reliability, the nurses assessed each photograph twice on two separate occasions. These two assessments will be compared for each nurse. To study inter- observer reliability (between nurses), the assessments of the same photographs will be compared between nurses. To study validity, the nurse’s assessment will be compared to the estimated gold standard.
Statistics: Kappa coefficients will be calculated to assess inter- and intra observer agreement and their agreement with the estimated gold standard.
Results and conclusions: The results provide scientific evidence on the accuracy of a peristomal skin classification to facilitate evidence based practice.
Objectives: The OST was validated by evaluating healthcare professional’s peristomal skin clinical observations to: self-assessment (intra-observer reliability), a second observer assessment (inter-observer reliability) and an estimated gold standard (validity).
Methods: Thirty photographs of peristomal skin were presented to 20 nurses (10 from Denmark and 10 from Spain) and a 5 member expert panel of 3 nurses and 2 dermatologists (estimated gold standard). The healthcare professionals assessed the peristomal skin conditions by using the OST to determine the DET score. In addition, the expert panel assessed the severity of skin conditions from healthy skin to worst skin problem ever on a 0-10 point scale.
Study outcomes: To study intra- observer reliability, the nurses assessed each photograph twice on two separate occasions. These two assessments will be compared for each nurse. To study inter- observer reliability (between nurses), the assessments of the same photographs will be compared between nurses. To study validity, the nurse’s assessment will be compared to the estimated gold standard.
Statistics: Kappa coefficients will be calculated to assess inter- and intra observer agreement and their agreement with the estimated gold standard.
Results and conclusions: The results provide scientific evidence on the accuracy of a peristomal skin classification to facilitate evidence based practice.
The support of Coloplast for this research is acknowledged.