Thanks to funding from LNWH Charity, through the transformation innovation fund, staff will have the confidence and knowledge they need to care for patients with a stoma.

When patients have a stoma, an operation to divert one end of the intestine through an opening in the tummy, the opening is called a stoma. A pouch is placed over the stoma to collect poo (stools).

Patients may need a stoma because of bowel cancer, bladder cancer or inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's Disease or Ulcerative Colitis), etc.

Rali Marinova, stoma and pouch care clinical nurse specialist and project lead tells us more: “Stoma care is more than just changing a stoma bag. It includes direct patient care, education, research and innovation and service development, which is why we have specialist nurses to provide this expert care. We teach patients and ward staff provide basic stoma care, which is not difficult once they learn how to do it and are confident.’’

“I was delighted when my application for £10K funding was approved to provide stoma care training for staff and patients.

“It’s really important that as many healthcare professionals as possible are trained in basic stoma care to ensure patients are well-supported when the specialist nurses are not available.

“We will shortly be identifying stoma link nurses across our three hospital sites who will be trained to deal with more complicated but not specialist stoma care. Initially we will train 20 nurses on selected wards and if that is successful, we’ll roll it out to all wards.

‘’My colleague and lead-nurse for the team, Petya Marinova, has been instrumental in putting together our stoma link nurse project, and she will continue to lead on it.’

“The training will take place over three to four days throughout the year, and it’s a great opportunity for staff to progress their career if they have an interest in stoma care. They will also have the confidence and knowledge to give advice and support to their colleagues.

“The training will include practising on stoma care models, what complications they may face and how to deal with them.

“We have purchased digital frames which will be installed on the link nurse wards where videos and PDF materials will be uploaded as points of reference.

“We have also purchased four kiosks for patients and nursing staff, where they can watch videos on how to change their stoma bags, access information on diet and check what is normal and what is not for their stoma. These will be installed through Maya and June.”