Nursing Care Plan for Colostomy Care
Also searched as: ostomy care, stoma care, bowel diversion
🎓 Educational example. Adapt to your patient and have your instructor review it. Not medical advice.
Care of a surgically created opening that brings the colon to the abdominal wall, diverting stool into an external pouch after surgery for cancer, diverticulitis, trauma or obstruction. Nursing care protects the stoma and the skin around it, builds the patient's confidence with the appliance, and supports the adjustment to a changed body.
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Assessment
- Subjective: patient reports worry about leaks, odor or others noticing the pouch, and may avoid looking at or touching the stoma
- Objective: stoma color and moisture (healthy is pink to red and moist), stoma height and shape, condition of peristomal skin, character and volume of effluent, fit of the current appliance, patient's technique during pouch changes
Nursing diagnoses
Risk factors: liquid or corrosive effluent, appliance opening cut larger than the stoma, early redness at the pouch edge, frequent leaks
As evidenced by: patient avoids looking at the stoma, declines to participate in pouch changes, voices concern about relationships, clothing or returning to work
Goals / expected outcomes
- The peristomal skin will remain intact, without redness or breakdown, at every appliance change.
- The patient (or caregiver) will independently complete a full pouch change using correct technique before discharge.
Nursing interventions & rationale
| Intervention | Rationale |
|---|---|
| Assess the stoma at every shift and at each pouch change; report a dark, dusky or black stoma immediately. | Color change signals compromised blood supply to the stoma, which is a surgical emergency, not a watch-and-wait finding. |
| Size the appliance opening to the stoma's actual measurements and reassess the fit as postoperative swelling goes down. | An opening cut too wide exposes skin to stool, and stoma size changes for weeks after surgery, so yesterday's template can be today's leak. |
| Teach and return-demonstrate the full routine: emptying at one-third full, cleaning with water, drying, and applying the new pouch. | Emptying before the pouch gets heavy prevents seal failure, and hands-on repetition is what turns a frightening task into a habit. |
| Invite the patient to look at and gradually take over care of the stoma, and offer contact with an ostomy nurse or peer support group. | Adjustment follows participation: people who handle their own stoma early report better body image and fewer complications after discharge. |
Evaluation
- Peristomal skin stays intact with a well-fitting appliance
- Patient or caregiver performs a complete, correct pouch change without prompting
- Patient talks about the stoma and daily life plans with growing confidence
Sources & further reading
Stop rewriting care plans by hand
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Build a care plan free Preview Pro (coming soon)Colostomy Care care plan: FAQ
What is the nursing diagnosis for Colostomy Care?
Common nursing diagnoses include: Risk for impaired skin integrity of the peristomal area related to contact with effluent and repeated appliance changes; Disturbed body image related to the change in bowel elimination and visible abdominal stoma. Choose the one your patient's assessment data supports.
What are nursing interventions for Colostomy Care?
Key interventions: Assess the stoma at every shift and at each pouch change; report a dark, dusky or black stoma immediately.; Size the appliance opening to the stoma's actual measurements and reassess the fit as postoperative swelling goes down.; Teach and return-demonstrate the full routine: emptying at one-third full, cleaning with water, drying, and applying the new pouch., each paired with a rationale.
Can I use this care plan for my assignment?
Use it as a study example and starting draft. Always adapt it to your specific patient and have it reviewed by your instructor. This is an educational tool, not medical advice.
For nursing education only, NOT medical advice and not a clinical decision-making tool. Nothing here should be used to assess, diagnose, or treat any real patient. Care plans and answers are unverified study drafts to review with your instructor or a licensed clinician and adapt to the individual patient and your institution’s protocols before any use.
Last reviewed 2026-07. Educational content based on standard nursing practice; not medical advice and not affiliated with NANDA-I/NIC/NOC. Always follow your institution's protocols and your instructor's guidance.