Friday, April 2, 2010

Ostomy Supplies for Different Lifestyles

As a nurse, you'll work with many, many patients with different lifestyles and needs.  Knowing the right home medical supplies for these individuals is not just a bonus, it's a necessity in a nursing position.  Ostomy is no exception, and there are many companies and lists of supplies so long they put Santa Clause to shame.

Here is a list of some typical lifestyles and considerations for Ostomy appliances:

Active Life-style

Closed Ostomy Pouches - Get strong adhesives for waterproof security and a closed  pouch, which offers water-proof protection and lessens the possibility of emptying on accident.  Closed pouches are perfect for competing runners, swimmers, and athletes of all types.

Ostomy Miniature Pouches - For swimwear or just for something  out of the way, a miniature pouch will do nicely. Mix a mini-pouch with a swim-wear that goes over your ostomy and you could have a pouch that will fit under the lining.

Adhesives - (Strong|Robust|Powerful} adhesives are necessary for active individuals; you'll need adhesives that are powerful against perspiration and moisture. While most skin barriers  have adhesives, you can notice particular brands work better for your particular stoma size, shape, and conformity.  Together with powerful adhesives, you will want a powerful remover to go with it. Adhesives leave skin feeling rough and should be removed entirely before a new  appliance is placed on the stoma. All top brands including Hollister, Coloplast, and Convatec provide these goods.


Ostomy Supplies for the Chubby

Those with some extra skin around their ostomy know that the additional skin can fold, adding more moisture and perspiration to the upper layers of the skin that will weaken the hold of a skin barrier. This is a downward spiral since a feeble barrier develops leakage, further weaken the hold and could cause skin problems like irritation, ulcers, and more. There are products and applications for those with extra weight around the ostomy to avoid this from occuring. Here are some ideas :

Ostomy Pastes Pastes such as Stomahesive, Hollister Karaya, Adapt, and Coloplast Ostomy Paste help prevention of barrier leaks by smoothing out creases and  folds in the  surface of the skin, helping to keep out leaks and increase the connection of wafers. This increases the wear time of the  barrier, saving both time and money changing ostomy supplies as well as providing added comfort of the wear.

Ostomy Powders - An ostomy powder is placed on the skin prior to an ostomy appliance is attached to the skin. It helps dry up needless moisture so that the adhesive sticks well as fast as it touches the skin.

Conformable Skin Wafers - Everybody's stoma is a little different, and there isn't any deficit  of sizing options for skin barriers. Some options are way more flexible and conformable to the skin, for example the SUR-FIT Natura by ConvaTec ( which also include Stomahesive discussed earlier ). These barriers adapt to the contours of the skin, sticking securely to the epidermis.

Moldable Seals - These small  barrier seals sit between skin and  appliances to help forestall leaks before they start. They can be shaped into any shape, making them good for those with hard stomas. They're ample enough so you can trim and shape them to the form you need before applying them to the skin.

Convenient Ostomy Supplies For Young Ones

Occasionally kids are born quickly requiring surgery for an ostomy. This is a troublesome decision for a parent to make, nonetheless it can be a life-saving decision. A kid with an ostomy is an unlucky additional challenge that many folks face.

Children should be allowed to be children; enjoying their youth. Children have far smaller stomas than adults, so often, pediatric ostomy products are just scaled down versions of adult ostomy products, engineered to fit smaller stomas and little bodies. The 3 biggest providers of Ostomy products all provide lines of pediatric ostomy products :

Pouchkins by Hollister - Childrens ostomy supplies from Hollister are known as Pouchkins; little sized pouches and skin wafers for kids from newborns, infants, to youngsters. They include Hollister’s ComfortWear side panels Hollister is famous for, which are soft enough for a baby's delicate skin.

Little Ones from ConvaTec - ConvaTec is Little Ones is a line of ostomy products offering the advantages of their adult relatives. The Little Ones pouches can fit the profile of a child's body, sit easy on the skin, and ConvaTec offers choices for post-operative appliances, colostomy, illeostomy, and urostomy products. They also come in coloured prints for kids.

Coloplast Colokids Coloplast has an analogous approach for their ostomy products, but almost all of their children's ostomy products use the Assura Adhesive Coupling system. This coupling system makes sure pouches can simply attach to the barrier. Coloplast conveniently provides both 1-piece and 2-piece ostomy systems for youngsters to make them look a little less medical.

Ostomy Supplies for Intimacy

Extra-small or Mini Ostomy Pouches - Since mini pouches are smaller and closed, they don't last as long as other ostomy products. These miniscule pouches are about 1/2 the size of a standard pouch, or often smaller, and they're built to keep the pouch away. They're excellent for memorable occasions where you would like your stoma and appliances less invasive and obvious, providing additional discreetness from the standard or giant pouch.

Pouch Covers - You’ll find vendors and ostomates who develop custom designed pouch covers, or you can make one yourself, that looks more attractive than the hospital look of ostomy pouches. A cover for your  pouch easily slides over the appliance and ties {around the} circle between the pouch and barrier for an extra little boost of self-confidence and intimacy without the medical perception of the pouch.

Learn more about Ostomy with these resources:
UOAA
Ostomy Guide Added with Posterous - Home Medical Supplies.

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