Evidence-based practice in action

Evidence-Based Nursing Care Management for the Pregnant Woman With an Ostomy

Pregnancy presents many problems without working through additional problems in coping with an ostomy. Yet many women with an ostomy do get pregnant and do deliver healthy babies. Evidence-based nursing is of the utmost importance, as there is little published information on this topic. Because of the scarcity of pregnant subjects within the ostomy category, most studies, by necessity, select a purposive subject base. Therefore, other information sources regarding nursing management of the pregnant woman with an ostomy take on considerably more importance. This article explores other forms of evidence that can be used in managing the care of pregnant ostomy patients and specifically how nurses can integrate various sources of information in designing an evidence-based nursing care plan. Nonpharmacologic forms of relaxation therapy, easily used by nurses, such as mindfulness-based stress reduction, guided imagery, and hypnosis, are also identified as some ways nurses can relieve anxiety and experiential stress associated with pregnancy in women who have an ostomy.

Evidence-based practice

The following document is a position statement of The Society of Pediatric Nurses (SPN) that pertains to evidence-based practice (EBP). This document was developed by the Clinical Practice Committee of SPN, and it includes an overview of EBP basics and SPN recommendations with regards to EBP.