Early Peristomal Skin Complications Reported by WOC Nurses.
OBJECTIVE
The range of peristomal skin complications reported in the literature varies from 10% to 70%. Inconsistent terminology as well as a lack of a standardized tracking tool may account for this variability. The purpose of this study was to describe peristomal skin complications seen by WOC nurses over a 1-year period using a standardized data collection tool and using the peristomal terminology developed by the WOCN Society.


METHODS
A prospective research design was used to describe peristomal skin complications of ostomy patients seen within the first 2 months of ostomy surgery by WOC Central Virginia Affiliate nurses. The WOC nurses completed a peristomal skin complication form on each ostomy patient that was seen within 2 months of the original ostomy surgery regardless of whether or not he or she had a peristomal complication. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize data.


METHODS
Twelve WOC nurses saw a total of 89 patients over a 12-month period. Subjects had a median age of 61 years (range, 1-91 years). The sample included 46 females and 43 males. All patients were seen in the central Virginia area. Thirty-two patients were seen in hospital, 31 were seen in a home health setting, and 26 were seen in outpatient clinic.


RESULTS
Forty-two patients (47%) had peristomal complications. The types of ostomies seen were 37 colostomies, 33 ileostomies, and 15 urinary conduits. Thirty-one patients had chemical damage to the peristomal skin (irritant dermatitis), 5 had mechanical injury, and 4 had Candida infections, 1 had an allergic reaction, and another had pyoderma gangrenosum.


CONCLUSIONS
Research studies that describe peristomal skin complications over time and over multiple settings are limited. A central data repository using a standardized tool may be one way to monitor them and then begin to look at standardized evidence-based peristomal skin care.
Ratliff
Catherine R
CR
University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA. crr9m@Virginia.edu
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003125:Colostomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing; D017453:Dermatitis, Irritant / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007081:Ileostomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing; D008297:Male; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D010030:Ostomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000451:nursing; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017592:Skin Care / Q000379:methods*; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013041:Specialties, Nursing; D054047:Surgical Stomas / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome