TY - JOUR
T1 - Colostomy irrigation
T2 - Current knowledge and practice of WOC nurses
AU - Cobb, Martha D.
AU - Grant, Marcia
AU - Tallman, Nancy J.
AU - Wendel, Christopher S.
AU - Colwell, Janice
AU - McCorkle, Ruth
AU - Krouse, Robert S.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society™.
PY - 2015/1/13
Y1 - 2015/1/13
N2 - PURPOSE:: This study builds on the authors' previous studies that demonstrate that persons living with a colostomy who practice colostomy irrigation (CI) experience quality-of-life benefits. Studies also reveal that patients may not be taught about CI. The purpose of this study was to determine current knowledge, attitudes, and practices of WOC nurses on CI. SUBJECTS:: The target population was ostomy nurses who were members of the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurse's Society. Nine hundred eighty-five nurses out of a possible pool of 4191 members responded, providing a response rate of 24%. Their average age was 53 years (range, 25-79 years). Respondents averaged 12 years' experience as a WOC nurse (range, 1-40 years) and 90% (n = 875) were certified. Participants practiced in a variety of settings, including acute and long-term care facilities, home health, and ambulatory clinics. They saw an average of 37 ± 60.5 (mean ± SD) ostomy patients per year (range, 0-1100). METHODS:: A 1-time online survey (SurveyMonkey) of members of the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses (WOCN) Society was conducted. In addition to demographic and educational information, questions also included (1) CI advantages and disadvantages; (2) CI content routinely taught; (3) challenges in assisting patients to learn CI; and (4) where preparation was received for teaching this procedure. Nurses were asked whether they believe CI is evidence-based. RESULTS:: More than half identified irrigation as an evidence-based practice (59%), but half indicated they do not routinely teach CI. Multiple factors correlated with nurses' decisions to teach CI, including years of experience (P = .03), specific CI education (P < .001), and considering the intervention evidence-based (P < .001). CONCLUSION:: Factors influencing CI instruction are multifactorial; they include nurses' attitudes, experience base, education, medical indications, setting characteristics, and patient interest and physical abilities. Education on this procedure is urgently needed for ostomy nurses unprepared and/or unfamiliar with CI, as well as staff nurses in acute care units who could offer accurate information and additional resources to patients to increase their informed decisions.
AB - PURPOSE:: This study builds on the authors' previous studies that demonstrate that persons living with a colostomy who practice colostomy irrigation (CI) experience quality-of-life benefits. Studies also reveal that patients may not be taught about CI. The purpose of this study was to determine current knowledge, attitudes, and practices of WOC nurses on CI. SUBJECTS:: The target population was ostomy nurses who were members of the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurse's Society. Nine hundred eighty-five nurses out of a possible pool of 4191 members responded, providing a response rate of 24%. Their average age was 53 years (range, 25-79 years). Respondents averaged 12 years' experience as a WOC nurse (range, 1-40 years) and 90% (n = 875) were certified. Participants practiced in a variety of settings, including acute and long-term care facilities, home health, and ambulatory clinics. They saw an average of 37 ± 60.5 (mean ± SD) ostomy patients per year (range, 0-1100). METHODS:: A 1-time online survey (SurveyMonkey) of members of the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses (WOCN) Society was conducted. In addition to demographic and educational information, questions also included (1) CI advantages and disadvantages; (2) CI content routinely taught; (3) challenges in assisting patients to learn CI; and (4) where preparation was received for teaching this procedure. Nurses were asked whether they believe CI is evidence-based. RESULTS:: More than half identified irrigation as an evidence-based practice (59%), but half indicated they do not routinely teach CI. Multiple factors correlated with nurses' decisions to teach CI, including years of experience (P = .03), specific CI education (P < .001), and considering the intervention evidence-based (P < .001). CONCLUSION:: Factors influencing CI instruction are multifactorial; they include nurses' attitudes, experience base, education, medical indications, setting characteristics, and patient interest and physical abilities. Education on this procedure is urgently needed for ostomy nurses unprepared and/or unfamiliar with CI, as well as staff nurses in acute care units who could offer accurate information and additional resources to patients to increase their informed decisions.
KW - cancer patients
KW - colostomy irrigation
KW - ostomy nurse attitudes
KW - ostomy nurse knowledge
KW - ostomy nurse practice
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84920720781&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84920720781&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/WON.0000000000000075
DO - 10.1097/WON.0000000000000075
M3 - Article
C2 - 25325284
AN - SCOPUS:84920720781
SN - 1071-5754
VL - 42
SP - 65
EP - 70
JO - Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing
JF - Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing
IS - 1
ER -