Preoperative Ostomy Education: Reducing Patient Anxiety and Prepping for Independence

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Emilie Schlitt, BSN, RN, PCCN, CWOCN, Matthew Mossansen, MD-MPH, and Mary Willis, MS, RN, CWOCN, co-authors of a Merit Award winning poster in the Practice Innovation category at the WOCNext 2020 Reimagined event titled, “Empowering the Patient: Education and Preparation Prior to Cystectomy Surgery”. The co-authors discuss a preoperative prehabilitation educational class that was developed by urologic nurses and had input from a multidisciplinary team consisting of physicians, ostomy nurses, physical therapists, and nutritionists, and was also shaped by patient and caregiver input. During the class, patients and caregivers were prepped for cystectomy surgery with hands-on practice of stoma site marking, how to independently care for their ostomies, post-operative expectations, and more.Other co-authors for this award-winning poster include:Anne Fitzgerald, BSN, RN, and Juliet Starr, RNEpisode ResourcesTo view a description of the poster, “Empowering the Patient: Education and Preparation Prior to Cystectomy Surgery”, click here.