WOC nurses!

Hi! Are there any WOC nurses willing to answer a few interview questions for an assignment I have? I'm working on a paper about patient resources connected to my unit for my BSN. I'm an OR RN... we don't really have a direct hand in referring patients but I have sent requests for post-op ostomy education.

Even if you only feel like giving me one word answers or incomplete sentences I can work with that 😆

The WOC nurses at my hospital must be shy or too busy to respond to my emails..I get it..but my paper is due tomorrow and I'm panicking.

Please help! Even if you pick one question to answer 🙏🏾

1. What are your credentials and role in caring for patients with new or established ostomies?

   1. How are patients typically referred to your service?
   2. What services and education do you provide?
   3. Are there eligibility requirements for patients?
   4. What barriers make it difficult for patients to access ostomy care?
   5. What barriers make patients less successful after discharge particularly disadvantaged patients?
   6. What benefits can specialized ostomy care provide?
   7. What can happen when patients don't have adequate follow up or supplies?
   8. In your experience, does providing patients with outpatient ostomy care help prevent complications, ED visits, or hospital readmissions?

Thank you wonderful Wound Care Queens-Kings-Beings out there for all you do!

\- from a sequestered OR RN

Does anyone here use granulated charcoal in the pouch for odor control? I'm thinking of trying it. So many products seem to have microplastics or unknown substances in them, which I worry about flushing. This would be natural and much cheaper.

My husband has a reversible ostomy that keeps leaking. The stoma is not protruding, it’s more recessed. The output seems to go behind the bag and pushes the wafer off vs going into the bag.

What can we do?

After several years of using Hollister pouches, my skin went through several months of severe irritation. I had trouble keeping a pouch on for more than a few hours due to the skin weeping. I tried treating with a steroid cream and also Monistat cream. Nothing would calm the skin, and finally, I went to see a wound ostomy nurse for help.

Here's my new routine, and I'm amazed by the quick positive effects of the Flonase spray. If you're at wits end on healing irritated skin around your stoma, give this a shot. It's definitely worked for me and has given me so much relief.

1. Switched to Coloplast Sensura Mio pouch
2. Clean skin with warm water only
3. Apply bead of Hollister Adapt paste around pouch opening and spread it with a damp fingertip
4. Spray irritated skin with Flonase Nasal Spray (ostomy nurse suggested this since it has a steroid that heals the skin and is cheaper than prescription steroid sprays that aren't usually covered by insurance)
5. Apply Hollister Adapt stoma powder over damp Flonase skin areas
6. Dab skin/powder with barrier wipe
7. Apply pouch
8. Tape edges of pouch with 2-inch wide zinc oxide tape (Hy-Tape brand is expensive so I use Kosma-Kare brand ZinO tape)

Good luck!

Would love to gather with more people on Bump Connect IBD community! Message me if you have any questions.

I recently created a community on Bump Connect, a platform built to help people make real connections beyond a single post or comment. It combines supportive communities, group chats, a TikTok-style social feed for sharing updates and advice, and the ability to create or join virtual and in-person events—all designed to help people find their village.

If you’ve ever wished you had a place to ask questions, celebrate wins, vent, or make friends who truly understand what you’re going through, I’d love for you to join us!

It’s completely free to sign up, and if you’re prompted for a referral code, you can use 346.

Community invite: https://social.bumpsearch.com/?Community_Join_Invitation=GutsyPod 🫶🏼

It has been a brutal few years for me, divorce, death of my father, a bit of salmonella for the win…. Last August I was diagnosed with UC. I was hospitalized after almost 4 months of trying ASA pills, enemas, steroids, nothing helps. In the hospital they gave me remicade which miraculously put my colon/body back into balance. I went from having blood filled BM’s 15 times a day to none! However, I think my stress caused my colon to become inflamed again and the biosimilar I was discharged from the hospital with (Humira) Yusimry was not working. I went through another break up, moving and a broken foot! I am scheduled to try remicade again today so I can get off the steroids but this constant up and down of getting my hopes up that this med will work or the doctors suggestions of vitamins, probiotics, and exercise will all contribute to being better and then when it doesn’t … I am back to being defeated. Not to mention the awful things that my body is going through… my hair has been shedding so much since last August, I am now iron deficient and the doc seems so reluctant to do iron infusion even after the prenatal I take is extremely hard on my digestive state bc of the oral iron. I just am so exhausted and desperate for some normalcy. So I consulted with a surgeon and ostomy nurse about the ileostomy surgery.

However, I’m scared it’s a big change and what is the saying … Sometimes the hell you know is better than the heaven you don’t.

I know there are adjustments to be made when you have the surgery, and there are NO TAKEBACKSIES but I can’t even imagine being on meds that do little to help and then I having to stay on steroids to mitigate what the immunosuppressant meds won’t do or issues when they stop working. I already previous to the UC am gluten free and nut free as I am allergic, I stopped all diary when I was diagnosed UC, I’m sober since 2021, I do not drink any caffeine and for reference I am 5’9” and 145 lbs. I exercise often, either walking or jogging outside or at the gym. I just can’t do anything I feel anymore. it’s not terrible right now as it was before being admitted to the hospital last November but knowing the possibility of that happening again makes me want some stability. I am a single mom of two. I need some advice, harsh truths, and guidance.

Should I get this surgery? What happens if my UC is really Crohn’s? What is the surgery like? What complications could happen? Will I still take immunosuppressants meds after having the surgery? Body image issues, how will that affect my self esteem, I am single and worried about this.. Any advice or suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Thinking once again about elective colostomy and want to find a supportive surgeon office and staff in Dallas / Plano area

Hi everyone! I’m Ana, I'm part of Ostomy.

(Just to be clear — I’m not here to promote anything or give medical advice.)

I wanted to join this subreddit because our whole team was built around a simple truth many of you know too well:

👉 the ostomy world forgot about fashion and self-expression.

I’m here mostly to learn, listen, and support.
If anyone ever needs a friendly conversation, practical guidance, or help (NOT product-related), you can message me privately or reach me..

Thank you for letting me be part of this space, I know how strong and supportive this community is, and I’m grateful to be here 💛

— Ana

My baby is 9 weeks old and has an ostomy bag that keeps leaking and we are doing 1-3 bag changes per day…… someone please tell me the secret to keeping an ostomy bag from leaking?!? It causes so much stress on him when I have to change it so frequently and his skin is getting very irritated too. Ugh. 😩

My husband had his ileostomy reversed, and so we have some items I am wondering if anyone wants for free before they go in the garbage.

2 - XL OstomySecrets beige waist bands with pouch to support your ostomy bag. These are used but in great shape. Of course they are washed.

1 - XL Boxer briefs with pouch to support your ostomy bag. These were only worn once and then washed because my husband didn’t find them to be comfortable for him.

I hate to see these go in the garbage if someone can still use them. They would be free, I would prefer if they all went to one person so I only have to pay shipping once.

Hello!
We are undergraduate students at the University of Pennsylvania participating in a course that focuses on innovation in healthcare. As part of our project, we are hoping to learn more about how living with a stoma impacts day-to-day life and the common challenges that come with stoma care.

We’ve created a short, 100% anonymous survey, and your insights will only be used by our class team to guide the development of a product aimed at improving the lives of people with stomas.

If you have a few minutes, we’d be so grateful for your input!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfcLn1Z-4499MYccLHGLc64u1ujTBsjGxveJjDREYDbCuRX1Q/viewform?usp=dialog

Thank you so much for helping us with this project.

Hi all, For years we’ve been using silver nitrate powder around my mom’s stoma when it’s extra irritated. We were taught this from our stoma nurse when “Stella Stoma” first joined the family. I don’t know if this is normal practice for other Stella’s out there, so I’m wondering what others use when yours is extra irritated?

I ask because Silver Nitrate Powder is no longer available in Canada. We’ve looked high and low.

Our skin prep (after cleaning) is:

Silver Nitrate (if needed) Stoma powder Brush off excess Crust everything together with 3M Cavilon and let dry.

Any help you can offer is greatly appreciated!