An ostomy diversion is used when an individual has surgery to transform the ileum into a stoma resulting from some sort of functional anomaly associated with the digestive system. The stoma acts like the anus does for people who do not have stomas and provides a method of waste disposal. To catch the waste, the individual generally attaches an ostomy bag around the stoma for collection. It is emptied as it fills and bags are changed weekly or whenever the patient feels the need.
Prior to attending the lab and participating in the ostomy-bag station, my perception of people who use ostomy bags and have a stoma was the same as those who do not experience such things. I understand that there is a kind of struggle that differentiates myself from one who has to manage different types of stomas; however, my perception of these individuals did not change.
The purpose of wearing an ostomy bag and simulating a stoma is to build better empathetic care among our UNE nursing community and to aid in more advanced patient care. I believe my patient care skills will improve based on this experience. The experience allows students to begin to put themselves in the shoes of others and, in turn, will allow us as future nurses to empathize in a wiser mindset.
In terms of wearing the ostomy bag, I mostly forgot that I had it on until I took my shirt off and I would see the bag. I did not experience any disturbed body image, although if I had to wear it all the time I would imagine that I might. I did experience some mild skin irritation that went away as the weekend progressed. I would also imagine that learning how to use an ostomy bag and visualizing the stoma may be difficult to process initially; I think I personally may have a difficult time grasping something like that if I were to have a stoma and need an ostomy bag. I am sure that over time, individuals get used and comfortable with the device. It is also important to manage the device in such a way to prevent infection, and I think that would make me nervous.
While wearing the ostomy bag, I did notice that I was a little more aware of what I was wearing as well as where specifically I leaned on my stomach. It was also difficult to accommodate while exercising, which I did not think about until I started using the bag. Because I wore the bag for the weekend, I may talk to a patient with a new stoma about my short experience with the device and what clothing worked best for me/how to cope with impaired self image. The advice may not be extensive, but it may be appreciated. For example, if a patient has just had surgery and has a new stoma and is curious as to what clothes he or she can wear to accommodate the bag, I may be able to give some helpful advice.
I am glad that I was able to participate in this exercise. Overall, I feel as if I can skim the surface of understanding what it may be like to live with a stoma of some sort and manage an ostomy bag. In the future, it will allow me to better understand what patients with these devices go through on a daily basis. For future students, I would encourage open-mindedness. I know many of my peers were hesitant to try the exercise, but it does put the mind and the body into perspective. Many people outside of the nursing program thought that it was very cool that the UNE nursing students were trying to better understand people. It is beyond important to put your patients first and whenever possible, do your best to understand them.
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