Nurse prescribing in practice: patient choice in stoma care

In the first of a new series, Janice Lee examines the choices facing nurse prescribers when selecting items for stoma management. Studies have estimated that there are up to 100,000 people with a stoma in England and Wales, and stoma care therefore forms a significant part of community nursing caseloads. The enormous range of available items means that both patient and prescriber are likely to have difficulty selecting the correct device. Patient preferences, comfort and pricing all play a part in stoma appliance selection.