OSTOMY CARE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS RATED A
A nurse is obtaining health history from a young adult patient who has a colostomy. The patient
reports frequent episodes of loose stools over the last month, but has no signs
...
OSTOMY CARE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS RATED A
A nurse is obtaining health history from a young adult patient who has a colostomy. The patient
reports frequent episodes of loose stools over the last month, but has no signs of infection or
bowel obstruction. He reports that his concerns about leakage have limited his social activities.
Which of the following should the nurse recommend? ✔✔A: Consume foods that are low in
fiber content.
Rationale: Foods low in fiber help thicken the stool; examples include rice, noodles, white bread,
cream cheese, lean meats, fish, and poultry.
A nurse is providing preoperative teaching for a patient who has colon cancer. The surgeon
informed the patient his entire large intestine and rectum will be removed. The nurse should
explain the type of ostomy he will have is ✔✔A: A ileostomy
R: After removing the entire large intestine and the rectum, the surgeon will create an ileostomy
to divert feces from the small intestine to the abdominal surface and into an ostomy pouch.
A nurse is providing preoperative teaching for an older patient who has diverticulitis and is
scheduled for a creating for a double barrel colostomy in the sigmoid colon. Which of the
following instructions should the nurse include in the teaching? ✔✔A: Tape a dry gauze pad
over the distal stoma to collect drainage.
R: The distal stoma (also called a mucous fistula) secretes mucus; it does not drain feces. A dry
gauze dressing is usually sufficient.
A nurse is teaching a patient with a new ileostomy about incorporating preventive strategies at
home. To prevent excoriation and breakdown of the peristomal skin, the nurse should instruct the
patient to ✔✔A: Empty the pouch when it is no more than half full.
R: Waiting until the pouch is more than half full increases the risk of leakage. Ileostomy effluent
is irritating to peristomal skin, so patients should replace the pouch when it is one-third to onehalf full.
While a nurse is teaching a patient how to replace her ostomy pouching system, the patient
reports that removing the skin barrier is sometimes painful. Which of the following should the
nurse suggest? ✔✔A: Push the skin away from the barrier while removing it.
R: Pushing the skin away from the barrier helps prevent skin stripping, which can be painful and
make the skin sensitive to the adhesive. If the patient is having difficulty with the initial release
of the barrier, it may help if she starts in one corner and gently pulls it over the stoma while
pushing the ski away from the barrier.
A nurse is teaching a patient how to apply an extended-wear skin barrier. Which of the following
strategies should the nurse instruct the patient to use for maximal adherence? ✔✔A: Press gently
around the barrier for 1 to 2 minute.
R: The pressure-sensitive tackifiers and heat-sensitive polymers of the skin barrier require
adequate pressure (and warmth from the fingers) to ensure adherence.
A nurse is replacing the ostomy appliance for a patient whose newly created colostomy is
functioning. After removing the pouch, which of the following should the nurse do first? ✔✔A:
Cleanse the stoma and peristomal skin.
R: To facilitate the nurse's assessment of the stoma and the peristomal skin, the nursemust
remove any effluent adhering to the area.
A patient who has bladder cancer tells the nurse that, of the various urinary diversion options the
surgeon presented, she prefers one that will allow her to have some control over urinary
elimination. The nurse should explain the option that will allow that is ✔✔A: A Kock's pouch
R: This is a continent ileal bladder conduit that does not require an external drainage collection
device because the patient self-catheterizes every 2-4 hours to remove urine. This device will
provide the control the patient desires.
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