Bridging a Care Gap-Ostomy Care Associate Program

The purpose of our clinical innovation was to implement an evidence-based Ostomy Care Associate (OCA) program in a large academic medical system to close the care gap identified between initial stoma placement and the outpatient/home care setting. The overall aim of implementing this program is to “improve patient outcomes and enhance the general ostomy knowledge for the entire nursing team,” (Wound Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society, 2018). This program was implemented in the ambulatory, home care and inpatient settings.

The objectives of the program are for the learner to gain knowledge into the assessment and management of patients undergoing a fecal or urinary diversion, percutaneous tube, or who has developed a fistula. The learner will demonstrate the appropriate stoma measurement and application of pouching systems. The learner will identify common peristomal complications and implement appropriate interventions and when to refer to the WOC nurse or physician.

We completed the first cohort of participants in the OCA course over the summer and have now enrolled the second cohort of participants. A survey was built in redcap and sent to all OCA participants both before taking the course and after completion. The survey results indicated an increase in confidence levels of 47-53% from pre-course to post-course outcome in all questions! The largest improvement was in the following confidence levels: selecting the appropriate ostomy appliance followed by confidence in providing patient education.

Wound Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society. (2018). Ostomy Care Associate (OCA) Program. Retrieved from https://www.wocn.org/page/OCAProgram