Colostomy Teaching 1870
Instructed patient measure your stoma once a week for the first 6 to 8 weeks after your ostomy surgery. Your stoma shrinks while it is healing and you need to keep measuring so you can make sure that the opening in the skin barrier is the right size for your stoma. Remeasure your stoma if any irritation develops between the stoma and skin barrier wafer.
Reviewed November 2017
Reviewed for general reference only. Adapt to your patient, agency policy, and scope of practice.
Related teachings
Colostomy Teaching 1687Skilled nurse teaching how patient performed colostomy care , washed the stoma itself and the skin around the stoma with soft paper towels, mild soap and water. Measured the stoma, cut out the opening, removed the pape...Colostomy Teaching 1714Instructed patient Call your doctor if the skin around your stoma: Pulls back, Is red or raw, has a rash, is dry, hurts or burns, swells or pushes out.Colostomy Teaching 1310SN instructed patient to drink 2 to 3 quarts of water a day. This helps to keep the stool fluid, and it also prevents dehydration. Colostomy Teaching 1869Instructed patient If you do put tape around the skin barrier edges do not remove the tape after water activities. Removing the
tape may cause the skin barrier to loosen. It is helpful to hold your skin smooth as you p...