Ostomy Education Day - When the Iowa WOC nurses bring together information and products to help people living with an ostomy

The Wound, Ostomy, Continence Nurses’ Society mission is to guide expert health care to patients. Several Iowa Wound Ostomy Continence (WOC) nurses recognized a lack of community support and educational resources for people with ostomies. The amount of time patients are able to spend with the ostomy nurse can be limited: shorter hospital stays mean less time spent with the acute care ostomy nurse for initial ostomy education, homecare regulations limit the ability of an ostomy nurse to see the person in the home, homecare agencies may not employ a certified ostomy nurse, and outpatient reimbursement guidelines limit the ability of the person to be seen in a clinic. In addition, there is an overall shortage of certified ostomy nurses available in some demographic areas. Also, decreased attendance at ostomy support groups has resulted in a lack of emotional support from people in similar situations.

To help fill this gap in support and education, a group of WOC nurses in central Iowa developed a proposal to offer an annual Ostomy Education Day for people with ostomies, their families, and caregivers. In accordance with Meehan’s Careful Nursing Theory, health-related education needs to include families and caregivers. Meehan’s theory also supports health education focused on promoting a sense of personal dignity, developing a healthy pattern of daily living, and finding a meaningful purpose in life. A proposal was presented to the Iowa WOCN Affiliate; an educational subcommittee was formed so the initiative would be sustainable. The education day has been very successful; the fifth annual event was held May 2012. Participants who attend this free offering listen to lectures on a variety of ostomy related topics, visit with vendors and network. This poster outlines the Ostomy Education Day development plan that national WOC nurse colleagues can implement in their communities.