Ileoanal teaching tools: developing a tool to meet a specific need

As ET nurses working with ileoanal surgery patients for the first time in 1979, we discovered that there were no tools or materials available for teaching our patients how to care for themselves during the various stages of the procedure. Over the years, therefore, we have created a compilation of data based on answers to questionnaires completed by recent patients. This data base contains information on topics such as skin care and diet, and enables us to create teaching tools tailored to our own patient population. Although there are now other materials available for teaching self-care to ileoanal surgery patients, the ongoing collection of data from a particular group of patients can also help to create valuable teaching tools and enhance overall understanding of this complex procedure.