Page 14 - OASC June 2021 Newsletter

June/21
Tips & Tricks
•Thebesttipforchanginganileostomyistobepreparedandorganizedbeforeyoustart,anddo your change as efficiently as possible. The more you wipe and fool around with the stoma, the more opportunity it will have to produce output when you least want it to.
•Tohelpstopileostomydischargeduringachange,delayeatingamealandeatsomeplainmarsh- mallows up to 30 minutes before changing the appliance.
•Makesureyourperistomalskin(theskinaroundthestoma)iscompletelydrybeforeapplyingthe flange. Bathrooms can be warm and humid after a bath or shower — give your skin plenty of time to dry thoroughly.
•Afewdropsofpouchlubricantinsidethetopoftheappliancewillhelpprevent‘pancaking’of stool around the stoma. Most of the manufacturers make such lubricants; ask for a sample.
•Usetwohandstoremoveaflange–onetoholdtheskindownandtheothertogentlypeelthe flange off. Try to minimize how much you are stretching or pulling on the skin.
•Writethedayyouchangeyourapplianceininkontheoutsideofthebarrieritselftohelpyou remember when it’s time to change again, or keep a calendar in the bathroom for this purpose.
•IfusingahairdriertospeedupdryingoftheperistomalskinduringachangekeepitonLOW setting. High heat can burn delicate stoma tissues.
•Ifyourpastetubehasbecometoohardtosqueeze,putitinaglassofhotwater for 20 minutes.
•Ifyouarebeingadmittedtohospitalfortestsoranyotherreason,takeyourownostomysupplies with you! The hospital may not stock what meets your particular needs, or attending nurses may not be familiar with ostomies. Even if the hospital has what you require, it may take a bit of time to locate it.
•Ifshavingabdominalhair,useanemptycardboardtoiletrollasashieldaroundthestoma.Shave in the direction of hair growth.
•Usenon-alcoholicadhesiveremoverstogetresidueoffperistomalskin.Limituseofalcoholto clean your skin.
•Don’tusethesameflangetoolong.Theshapeandsizeofyourstoma,bodycontours,andtype of waste all have a bearing on the durability of the seal. It is not adviseable to leave an appliance in place for more than 7 days as ‘hidden’ seepage or leakage can occur under the flange. You can extend wear time only if your skin is in very good condition, and there is no evidence of seepage on your skin.
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