How Often Do You Change An Ostomy Bag

Learn how to change an ostomy pouch. Patients who accept experienced inflammatory bowel illness or trauma to the gastrointestinal system may take a GI ostomy (colostomy or ileostomy).

As the nurse, you must know how to modify a pouching arrangement.

In this article, you lot will learn how to change a pouching system. If y'all're studying for NCLEX don't forget to review our NCLEX review for colostomies and ileostomy.

How to Change an Ostomy Pouch

What supplies will you lot need?

Ostomy supplies
- Skin Barrier (also chosen wafer, flange or base-plate). This will attach to the pouch went using the jumpsuit system. It will be separate when using the two-piece system.
- Pouch (attached on the one-piece or separate on the two piece-organization)
- Pouch Clip: used to shut the handbag….some pouches snap or Velcro shut and some pouches are airtight systems where you discard the pocketbook instead of emptying information technology.
Stoma Measuring Carte du jour: if the patient recently had surgery y'all volition want to measure the stoma with every pouch modify considering the stoma will shrink over time (it will be large and swollen later surgery and take a few months earlier it turns into normal size)
Ostomy Scissors: these are specially designed to make a circular cutting when cutting the skin barrier…..they help prevent making jagged edges which tin can cause trauma to the stoma
Pen: to outline the measurement on the skin barrier (if not already pre-labeled)
Barrier Ring: If the peel surrounding the stoma has a lot of intermission down so it is a skilful idea to use a barrier ring around the site (in add-on to the skin barrier) to help add extra protection to the skin.
Towels and Wash Cloths: use warm water to cleanse the skin and stoma…may apply balmy soap simply no soaps with perfumes, lotions, or alcohol in them
Gloves: ii pairs

Things to Keep in Listen before Changing the Pouch

Try to alter when gut is least agile (morning earlier breakfast…all people are dissimilar…inquire the patient)
Change system every three-v days (date and fourth dimension information technology) and empty bag when 1/iii to ½ full
Allow the patient to participant as much equally possible; remember they will have to become independent with doing this
Don't employ soaps with lotions or powders/creams, baby wipes or alcohol containing products on or around the stoma
Appraise for skin break downwards

Peel break downwardly around the stoma

Steps for Irresolute an Ostomy Pouching Organization

Assemble supplies
Perform hand hygiene and don gloves
Place a towel under the site to protect patient'south pare and clothing
Remove old pouching system by removing agglutinative backing. You may have to utilize adhesive remover if yous are having problem removing it.
Discard the system properly
Clean around the skin and and then the stoma with warm water and wash cloth (may mild soap without perfume or lotions)
Dry pare dry (may need to trim hair if site is hairy which will allow the new pouch organisation to stick easily)
Doff gloves, perform paw hygiene and don a new pair of gloves
Measure stoma with measuring carte…pick a measurement that is 1/8 inch larger than the stoma. The measurement should not be too large (which would permit stool to leak under the skin bulwark) or too small (would tuck the stoma).
Trace measurement onto skin barrier
Use ostomy pair of scissors to cutting the measurement onto the pare barrier.

12. May employ barrier band effectually the stoma, if needed
13. Make sure the ostomy pouch is sealed close by using the prune or Velcro snap
xiv. Then apply skin barrier around the stoma (brand sure y'all press down all the edges)…if using a two-piece system utilize the handbag to the skin barrier.