In the COVID-19 Pandemic Living with a Stoma and Being a Stoma Nurse

Stoma is created for reasons such as cancer, inflammatory bowel diseases and trauma to increase the quality of life of patients and to correct the underlying pathological condition. However, stoma causes major changes in patients’ later life after opening. Patients take a great deal of time to adapt to the stoma and they need stoma therapy nurses. Stoma nurses, on the other hand, are responsible for the processes of diagnosis, treatment, and care services for these people, regardless of their conditions. During the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic period, the responsibilities of stoma nurses continue to increase. Because of the pandemic conditions, the need of individuals with stoma for nurses increases more and it becomes difficult to reach nurses. This review was written to address the care of individuals with stoma and the issues that stoma nurses should pay attention during the pandemic period. The review was discussed in two parts: The individual with stoma and the stomatherapy nurse in the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, individuals with stoma in the COVID-19 pandemic should stay at home as much as possible. When he/she needs to go to the hospital, he/she should contact the stoma nurse. During this period, stoma nurses should carry their daily work to online platforms. They should support individuals with stoma using phone, e-mail, and telehealth applications.