Discharge planning in rehabilitation following surgery for a stoma.

Discharge planning and establishing goals for rehabilitation after stoma surgery is an ongoing process, which should be preceded by an holistic assessment, ideally carried out by a specialist practitioner with knowledge and experience in this area. The practitioner needs to have effective listening skills to ensure that both practical and psychological care are patient-centred. The patient and his/her carers must be involved in all aspects of care planning and establishing goals for rehabilitation. The specialist practitioner should adopt an evidence-based approach to care, ensuring that important aspects of care, such as the early teaching of stoma management skills, are not neglected. The specialist practitioner may not be able to meet all the patient's needs and should refer on to other specialist staff where these services are available. Such multidisciplinary input, utilizing appropriate problem-solving approaches with the involvement of patients and their carers, can only enhance the quality of care delivered and optimize the process of rehabilitation.