Investigations experiences of individuals with stoma

Objective: Objective of the study is to examine the experiences of individuals with stoma, in the period of time after opening stoma. Method: Descriptive study carried by using a phenomological design was conducted in the Surgery, Urology Policlinic and Wound and Stomateraphy Unit of Dokuz Eylül University. 19 individuals with stoma minimum 3 month selected via purposeful sampling method constituted the research sample. Data were collected with ?in-depth interview method? by using the ?unstructured interview form?. All interviews were recorded with tape recorder after written permissions were taken from the patients. Data were analyzed through the content analysis method. Findings: It was determined three themes in the study that effects of the stoma on the individuals. First meeting, difficulties and coping are main themes. The first meeting theme consists shock, shame and feeling desperate subthemes. Diffuculties theme consists four subthemes which are difficulty in activities of daily living, difficulty in maintaining sexual life, social isolation and economic challenge. Coping theme consists accepting the life with stoma, failing to accept the life with stoma, looking positively, fatalism and support systems (social, professional). Conclusion and recommendations: The results of the study showed that stoma make significant impact on the individuals and it was determined stoma cause emotional, physical, sexual, and social changes in their lifestyles. And also were seen differences in the experiences of the process of adaptation, who has taken social and professional support. In addition individuals expressed that they have received social and professional support it would be easier adaptation of stoma. In this regard it is recomendend that to adapt to life with stoma, they need to receive professional support from the pre-operative period and also in the post-operative period for the social support individuals who has positive/negative experiences with stoma can bring together in the support groups.