Ostomy Education on a Budget

WOCN's have a responsibility to educate within their organizations. Staff nurses have little exposure to ostomy care in their nursing school curriculum and have many demands on their time on the nursing units once they began work.  Providing an opportunity for "hands on" interaction with various types of ostomies in the classroom setting helps prepare the nurse. I found that a craft type apron with anatomy added by using an overhead projector  and a faux stomas made for perfect practice and are re-usable.

Nurses are assigned to groups with one member a "model" for the apron and another identified as "spokesperson" for the group.  Groups share with each other on aspects of anatomy, output and appropriate equipment for sigmoid colostomy, ileostomy, urostomy and transverse colostomy.  An added benefit of the activity is meeting the  affective objective of exploring their own feelings about having an ostomy. We also discuss body image issues of the new ostomate. 

This activity has been very well received by the nurses. It is inexpensive and easy to do.  The company that provides our ostomy supplies for the hospital provides the wafers and pouches that are used for the nurses' practice sessions.