Stoma management: enhancing patient knowledge.

Community nurses are likely to encounter people with a stoma, most commonly a colostomy. An appliance is used to collect and contain the stomal output. There are various appliances available, each designed to specifically care for a particular type of stoma. Ostomates (people with a stoma) are trained to care for their stoma while they are in hospital by the stoma specialist nurse. However, it is possible that complications can occur, such as sore peristomal skin, and in this instance a stoma accessory can be used to good effect. There are many accessories available, which can make choice difficult. However, an understanding of why accessories are used can assist in the assessment and treatment choice. It may be necessary to request the assistance of the stoma specialist nurse.