Persons’ experience of living with stoma : A descriptive literature review

Abstract: Background: A stoma is a surgical opening in the abdominal wall that is used to drainwaste from the body. The post-operative life of a patient with a stoma can be affected andlead to problems in various areas. This requires nurses to have an in-depth understandingof the patient's post-operative life to provide better service to the patient.Aim: To describe the patient’s experience of living with stoma.Design: A descriptive literature review.Methods: Literature retrieval was carried out by using keywords in PubMed andCINAHL databases, and the results were analyzed and discussed.Results: A total of ten articles were included in the review. There were four themes inthis study: negative emotions; duality of support; poor quality of life; and adaptivebehavior. After stoma, patients' lives are affected negatively or positively, producingdifferent life experiences.Conclusions: Patients with a stoma have a different experience of life after surgery.Patients with stoma can experience negative emotions after surgery. Whether or notthey receive support also has a close impact on their daily life, and their psychologicalstate and quality of life can be greatly affected, with some patients exhibiting adaptivebehaviors. Nurses can actively help stoma patients to adjust their psychological state,give psychological guidance and provide health education to reduce the adverse effectsof postoperative patients.Keywords: Experience, Interview, Perspective, Stoma, Surgical Stomas, View