“Over the previous 2 decades, a greater emphasis has been placed on preoperative education for patients anticipated to require a new stoma as part of an upcoming surgery. Preoperative stoma site marking, in combination with education and counseling with an ostomy nurse prior to surgery, has been associated with a decrease in stomal and peristomal complications such as peristomal skin irritation and appliance leakage.”

“By implementing a group class to teach basic stoma care principles, we observed a significant decrease in peristomal complications (44.7% vs 20.2%), and multivariable analysis revealed that participation in the educational intervention was the only variable associated with fewer reports of peristomal skin damage and fewer episodes of leakage from their ostomy pouching systems. Our educational session included a hands-on session with the American College of Surgeons Ostomy Home Skills Kit. The use of this kit in the
context of the hands-on educational session encouraged tactile familiarity with appliance management, which can be one of many barriers to competency in ostomy care. Introducing
various ostomy pouches and accessories such as stoma paste and skin barrier seals also provided patients with strategies for troubleshooting pouching problems.”

Stokes, Audrey L et al. “Institution of a Preoperative Stoma Education Group Class Decreases Rate of Peristomal Complications in New Stoma Patients.” Journal of wound, ostomy, and continence nursing : official publication of The Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society vol. 44,4 (2017): 363-367. Free Full Text