Date of Award

5-1986

Document Type

Thesis - Restricted

Degree Name

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

Department

Nursing

First Advisor

Audrey M. McLane

Second Advisor

Ellen M. Buggy

Third Advisor

Patricia Quinn-Casper

Abstract

The adjustments new ostomy patients make to an altered body image and lifestyle are well documented in the literature. Determining what troubles them and resolving the difficulties are important nursing func­tions in addition to teaching ostomy management skills. Often medical and nursing care is supplemented by trained members of the United Ostomy Association (UOA) who visit patients pre- and post- operatively to demonstrate by example of their own lives that a positive outcome is possible. Scientific evidence on the effectiveness of using an ostomy club or visitor as a role model to promote acceptance and allay anxieties has not been established.

The purpose of this study was to determine if ostomy visitors are influential in facilitating new ostomy patients ' acceptance of their stomas and allaying some of their major concerns. The following hypotheses were tested: 1) New ostomy patients who are visited by a UOA member during their hospitalization will have higher group mean scores on the Acceptance of Disability (Modi­fied) Scale (ADM) than new ostomy patients who have no visitation; 2) New ostorny patients who are visited by a UOA member during their hospitalization will have lower group mean scores on the Ostomates' Major Concerns Scale (OMC) than new ostomy patients who have no visitation; 3) There will be a negative correlation between ADM scores and OMC scores in each group and in the entire sample.

A sample of 29 subjects was drawn from a population of hospitalized adults who had ostomy surgery. After obtaining informed consent, the subjects completed a demographic data form and the OMC and ADM questionnaires. This pretest was administered seven days postoperatively. The subjects randomly assigned to the treatment group received a visit from an UOA member. The subjects in the control group received routine nursing and medical care but did not have an ostomy visitor. Two weeks after their discharge from the hospital, the ADM and OMC questionnaire were mailed to the subjects for them to complete and return. Twenty subjects of the original 29 returned the posttest.

Independent t-tests were performed on each of the ADM and OMC pre- and post- test scores to determine if intervention from ostomy visitors was a significant factor that influenced the scores of the experimental group. A Pearson's correlation coefficient was calcu­lated to determine the relationship between OMC scores and ADM scores. It was concluded that ostomy visitors were influential in decreasing new ostomates' major concerns however, they were not effective in significantly increasing the experimental group's ADM scores. Prior to their discharge from the hospital, both groups had low degrees of acceptance and high numbers of major concerns. The findings of this study suggest that the inclusion of visits from trained members of self-help ostomy clubs reduces the degree of major concerns identified by new ostomates.

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