Investigation of the Stoma Individuals Home First Day Experience

Abstract

Aim: Stoma surgery is a common treatment method for lower gastrointestinal tract cancers. However, stoma is an intervention that negatively affects the patient’s whole life and requires special care. What kind of problems can patients experience on the first day after discharge, when the individual no longer has professional support? This study was conducted to answer this question. Method: This was a phenomenological study. Eighteen individuals were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire to learn their experiences on the first day after hospital discharge. Individuals were informed about the study and written approval was obtained. The participants’ statements were recorded via voice recorder. The data were coded and clustered to examine underlying phenomena. Results: Our results showed that on the first day home after hospital discharge, stoma patients had difficulty changing stoma bags and needed assistance, felt fatigue, had concerns about nutrition, and had trouble sleeping due to fear the bag would burst or leak. Conclusion: It is clear that stoma patients have many problems at home after discharge, and most of these problems were due to the patients not being adequately prepared for discharge and living at home with a stoma. Based on the results of this study, we recommend providing necessary practical training and counseling services to inpatients prior to discharge, especially in cases of interventions like stoma which cause dramatic lifestyle changes.

Keywords

• Stoma care
• stoma problems
• first day stoma experiences at home