The Golden Pouch Award

The Golden Pouch Award

In a large southeastern academic medical center, bedside staff did not want to change ostomy pouches. There were a number of reasons why. After education was rolled out by other CWOCN’s there was a small improvement. There still needed to be a change in the culture of bedside staff. The Golden Pouch award was created. An ostomy pouch was filled with a few pieces of chocolate. When a nurse or tech would tell one of the wound care staff that they changed a pouch or attempted to change a pouch, they received a golden pouch award. All staff was asked to come to the nurse’s station to witness the “ceremony”. This was also implemented with the resident physicians.

There has been excitement from both the staff and residents about the golden pouch award. There has been increased buy in from staff with pouch changes. The nurse manager has also used this award as a positive factor on employee evaluations. This helps us bridge to our Magnet goals of nursing engagement and patient satisfaction. It also positively affects patient outcomes. No patient likes to have their pouch leak. When there is a leaking pouch there is increased chance of peristomal break down. So by changing our culture about pouches we empower our nurses to learn new skills and give better quality patient care.

Three golden pouch awards have been handed out to nursing staff and one to a resident. Phone calls to wound care department for a pouch change have greatly decreased since its inception.

Going forward the department will be adding something tangible, like a pouch, pin, or certificate that could be displayed on the unit’s achievement board. Increasing awareness, educating staff on pouching, and the importance of changing a pouch is the ultimate goal.