Stoma care nursing: what the community nurse needs to know

The transition from hospital to home can be a worrying period of time for a patient with a newly formed stoma. It is well documented that community care is important, however this transition has been seen as a weak link in the care for a patient with a stoma (Allison 1996). In most cases following discharge from hospital, the nurse specialist in stoma care will visit the patient at home as a means of maintaining continuity of care. It is also important that the patient's GP, district nurse and other relevant community services are introduced to ensure a cohesive approach to the patients care at home (Taylor, 2003). This article therefore aims to offer the community nurse an overview of stoma care nursing in order to provide the continuity of care much needed by this group of patients.