Enhancing the Information Needs of Patients With Colostomy: A Comparative Study of Tailored Versus Standard Training Methods

OBJECTIVE: Preoperative education forms a cornerstone in nursing practice in the holistic care of surgical patients. This is particularly crucial for patients undergoing surgical procedures involving colostomy, where the provision of comprehensive information can significantly impact both the perioperative and postoperative phases. This study aimed to investigate the impact of 2 distinct methods in addressing the information needs of patients with colostomy. METHODS: The study employed a case-control design. The sample included 60 patients (control: 30; intervention: 30) undergoing stoma procedures in the general surgery service of a university hospital who willingly participated in the study. The control group received standard training from a wound care nurse, whereas the intervention group received tailored training based on identified requirements. This study compared the effectiveness of education provided to patients in both groups. RESULTS: Before training, the control group had an average patient learning needs score of 195.24±21.56 points, which was significantly lower than the intervention group’s score of 221.66±20.25 points. Posttraining, the control group’s mean score increased to 202.82±20.86 points, whereas the intervention group’s score rose to 239.46±9.44 points. Following training, significant differences were found between the control and intervention groups in subdimensions such as medications, life activities, society, follow-up, feelings about disease conditions, treatment, complications, and quality of life ( P <.05). CONCLUSIONS: High learning needs were identified in patients with colostomy during the perioperative period. It was observed that individualized education significantly improved the level of meeting the needs of the patients, emphasizing the importance of personalized education in this context.