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Not every person with a stoma will develop problems or even feel that he or she is unable to manage a stoma independently. However, for the individual who does experience problems and struggles to cope, the stoma nurse is pivotal in providing resources and product experience. He or she can enable the ostomate to adapt to the stoma and maintain their quality of life. This article provides an overview of a solidifying agent and case studies illustrating how it can be used to help patients achieve independence.

Children undergo the formation of a stoma for many reasons and in some cases it can be a life-saving operation. The role of a stoma care nurse caring for babies and children that require a stoma is to teach and support the parents and families how to care for their child’s stoma. Not all hospitals are fortunate enough to have a stoma care nurse specifically trained in the management of paediatric stoma care and so the help and advice of such a speciality is essential in caring for this group of patients safely and effectively. In this article, Rebecca Slater explores the conditions that require the formation of a stoma within a paediatric setting and the care and support that they and their families may need in order to manage the stoma. Emphasis has been placed on the Paediatric Stoma Nursing Group in order to build awareness and collaboration between the two groups within this speciality.

Stoma surgery is an intrusive operation which can have a great impact on daily life. Having a stoma can affect everyday activities that most of us take for granted. The control over bodily functions is fundamental and is pivotal to an individual's ability to function within society. The formation of a stoma will involve an adaptation process, where individuals will have to come to terms with the loss of ‘normal’ control of bodily function. Rebecca C Slater outlines how patients can best learn to manage their stoma while returning to their daily activities and adapting to the alteration in their body image.

Surgery is undergoing revolutionary change as a result of newer approaches to pain control, the introduction of techniques that reduce the post-operative stress response, and the use of minimally invasive operations, such as laparoscopic surgery. As demand for hospital beds continues to escalate, it is paramount that patients recover from surgery quickly and safely; the use of evidence-based interventions to hasten recovery within an enhanced recovery programme (ERP) can play a vital role in achieving this, as well as reducing costs by shortening hospital stay. This article outlines the principles and key elements of an ERP, and discusses how it can help to achieve an improved and safe recovery and shorter hospital stay for patients, thereby reducing the cost to the NHS of inpatient treatment and recovery. The literature surrounding the development of ‘enhanced recovery’ (also called ‘fast-track’) surgery is reviewed to determine whether it is appropriate for patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery.

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease will require support and treatment from a variety of health professionals, and the input from specialist nurses working in this field can have positive effects on patients′ treatment pathway. Achieving an acceptable quality of life (QOL) is a priority to patients and is the main target of nursing intervention. In this literature review, Rebecca Slater discusses how patients with Crohn′s disease may perceive their QOL and how the formation of a stoma may affect or change this perception. This will help specialist nurses in providing a high quality of care specifically tailored for this group of patients.