Self-care competence of patients with an intestinal stoma in the preoperative phase

Abstract

Background: Patients undergoing intestinal stoma for-mation need to develop their stoma self-care competence. This competence should start being developed during the preoperative phase. Objective: To identify patients’ stoma self-care competence in the preoperative phase, particularly on the day before ostomy surgery. Methodology: Quantitative, descriptive, and cross-sec-tional study. Non-probability sampling technique with 50 participants. Data were collected using the assessment form of the Self-Care Competence of the Person with an Intestinal Stoma (CAO-EI: ESEP). Results: The level of knowledge represents the self-care competence of patients with an intestinal stoma in the preoperative phase of an ostomy surgery. Conclusion: The multidimensional nature of the self-care competence of patients with intestinal stoma justifies ex-ploring other domains of this competence besides knowledge in the preoperative phase given the identified benefits on the process of adaptation after surgery.