Wanna Wear One: Raising Ostomy AWEARness Through Healthcare Professionals

Wanna Wear One:  Raising Ostomy AWEARness Through Healthcare Professionals

     An educational initiative was directed by nurses at an 800+ bed teaching hospital to empathize with ostomates and to increase knowledge on ostomy care. UNC’s wound and skin resource nurse group spread this initiative to their floors. Over 170 staff members from a variety of nursing units participated including the WOCNs, wound and skin resource nurses, GI surgery’s nurse practitioner, occupational therapists, medical residents, care managers, HUCs and NAs. 

    Participants received a packet with a fecal ostomy pouch and an educational brochure on pouch application.  Participants wore the pouch for three days embarking on a unique challenge each day.  The first day’s challenge was to find a place on the abdomen to wear the pouch.  Day two, participants were asked to add applesauce or similar material into the pouch and practice emptying the contents at the end of the day.  Day three, participants completed daily activities and photo documented an adventure with their pouch.  Ending of day three, a banquet was held for the participants.  At the event, the participants removed their pouch, shared their experiences, and viewed their photos documenting their activities.  The headline speaker was an ostomate who shared her ostomy story and life experience as an ostomate.

     The Wanna Wear One campaign educated the participants on the proper location of an ostomy, how to apply the pouch, and how daily activities are impacted.  The campaign allowed the healthcare professionals to empathize with an ostomate.  Thirty-four surveys were returned and the results stated that 91% learned something new about pouch technique, 68% affected their normal ADLs, 100% can better relate to ostomates, 91% changed their practice, and 97% would participate in this initiative again.