Eakin Ostomy
Eakin IQ

Supporting from hospital to home

Choosing the right ostomy products for your patients to use at home can be challenging.

They’re about to transition from a hospital setting, where they’ve received close management, monitoring, and support for their new stoma or wound care routines, to a home setting where they’re expected to take control. This is when problems can occur, but knowing how to help your stoma patients find the most suitable products can help manage their new routine, minimise leaks, and feel in control.

As an ostomy nurse or carer, you’ll have lots of things to consider when trying to choose the best products. Factors such as skin topography, co-morbidities, ostomy shape and size, and treatment plans will all impact the stoma care routine that’s put in place, and the best products to support this. On top of this, your stoma patients have just been through major, life-changing surgery and, as Cowell, Kupsick and McNichol (2016), point out, they’ll need to know 18 new things before being discharged from care1.

Taking all of this on board can be overwhelming – especially in the early days. So, being able to provide your patients with easy-to-use and adaptable products can help minimise the risk of problems occurring, stop them happening in the first place, and give your patients the confidence they need as they get used to their new daily routine without the close monitoring of a hospital setting.

Getting to grips with stoma care at home – and creating a secure fit

Every ostomy, and every stoma care patient is unique. So, it’s no surprise that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to helping your patients find a stoma care routine that allows them to feel secure, supported, confident, and in control. Going from the hospital to home can be daunting for many ostomy patients. But our latest studies show that using easy-to-use, adaptable, and mouldable products can help your patients get to grips with their new stoma care routine beyond the hospital setting.  
 
Opting for products that have been designed to fit and flex to the changing shape of a new stoma can encourage patients to feel more confident and in control of their routine – especially in the early days. Whether it’s helping them to choose ostomy products that are easy and mouldable (and adapt to the stoma itself), or ones that are specifically designed to flex and fit to body contours, our latest research shows how using these products can help minimise leaks, ease peristomal skin problems, increase wear time, and give your patients the confidence and control they need to adapt to their new daily routine.

1. Colwell, Janice & Kupsick, Phyllis & Mcnichol, Laurie. (2016). Outcome Criteria for Discharging the Patient With a New Ostomy From Home Health Care: A WOCN Society Consensus Conference. Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing. 43. 269-273. 10.1097/WON.0000000000000230.

Featured Education. Evidence. Experience.

Explore our featured webinars, whitepapers, and patient cases to discover the latest education, evidence, and clinical insights from Eakin IQ.

Poster

Find out how unskilled care can lead to unnecessary leaks and extremely irritated and painful skin for patients – and how choosing adaptable, skin–friendly stoma care products can create a secure fit to optimise outcomes.

Read more

Case study

See how using the right products can help you and your patients overcome the challenge of complex fistulas at home to protect skin, increase wear time, enhance mental wellbeing, and boost overall recovery.

Read here

Video

Watch our short video to see the different ways you and your patients can apply a mouldable seal to create a secure, unique fit at home. The possibilities really are endless!

Watch here

Infographic

Our Shape of You infographic shows how you and your patients can create a secure, unique fit at home with easy-to-use mouldable seals – and the best products for the job.

See here

Continue your learning

Continue your learning with a growing library of expert-led podcasts, webinars, white papers and clinical case studies, designed to help healthcare professionals deliver informed stoma care.

Browse by Resource

Supporting patients

Patients may experience a range of emotional challenges as they adjust to life with a stoma. Recognising these concerns is an important part of supporting long-term wellbeing and quality of life.

Encourage Open Conversations

Patients may be reluctant to discuss concerns around body image, relationships, intimacy, or emotional wellbeing. Creating a supportive environment where these conversations are welcomed can help patients feel heard, understood, and less isolated.

Promote Confidence & Independence

Developing confidence in stoma management can play an important role in emotional adjustment. Supporting patients to build skills, establish routines, and regain a sense of control can improve self-esteem and encourage greater independence.

Recognise When Additional Support Is Needed

While adjustment takes time, some patients may experience ongoing emotional distress or difficulties adapting to life with a stoma. Recognising when additional psychological or specialist support may be beneficial can help ensure patients receive the care they need.

Patient perspectives

Gain insight into the lived experience of people with a stoma and discover how they have adapted to everyday life.

Featured product

Supporting patient confidence

Confidence in stoma management can have a positive impact on emotional wellbeing. Helping patients achieve a secure fit may reduce concerns around leakage and support greater independence in everyday life.
Explore eakin Cohesive® seals
Contact us

We’re here to support you

Whether you need clinical guidance, educational resources, or product advice, our team is here to help you deliver the best possible care for your patients.
Get in touch