Manage Abstracts

Nutrition plays an important role in managing ileostomy complications, improving patient outcomes and patient satisfaction. The purpose of this study was to measure patient satisfaction with a newly updated nutrition education handout and to determine if a new pre-printed order set (PPO) improves clinical markers for patients with new ileostomies.

Patients with new ileostomies who received the nutrition education handout were interviewed over the phone. A questionnaire was developed to assess patients’ satisfaction with this handout in managing their ileostomy. A retrospective chart review of patients admitted to the Pasqua Hospital and Regina General Hospital for ileostomy surgery from December 1st, 2016-March 31st, 2017 was also conducted to evaluate the use of the pre-printed order set and measured outcomes. Information collected from both the patient satisfaction surveys and the chart review was organized and analyzed in separate Microsoft Excel databases.

All survey participants (n=14) found the nutrition education handout easy to read and understand. All participants rated themselves as satisfied or very satisfied with the handout (n=14). Twelve patient charts were studied, with 4 patients having surgery after the implementation of the PPO. Three of these four patients had the PPO used as early as day 7. The pharmaceutical management of all patients, including the patients who had the PPO used, was improved from the results of a previous study. The PPO was used late in care (starting day 7-14 post surgery, rather than within 48 hours) and there were inconsistencies in which standing items on the PPO were ordered.

Patients are satisfied with and use the new nutrition education handout. Larger sample sizes and observations over a longer period of time are needed to better evaluate PPO use and subsequent patient outcomes. Education is needed for members of the interdisciplinary care team to better understand and use the PPO.