Adult Colostomy Ileostomy

You are an important member of the surgical team. We want to help prepare you and your family for full participation and the best recovery. The American College of Surgeons (ACS) Ostomy Home Skills Program was developed by members of your surgical team. This program will walk you through understanding your colostomy or ileostomy, skills to manage your ostomy at home, problem solving and other home management tips, as well as other resources. Watch our home skills videos to help you understand how to care for yourself or a family member after an operation.

About Your Colostomy/Ileostomy

Click on the links below to download

Your Colostomy/Ileostomy

Ostomy Skills: Emptying and Changing the Pouch

Problem Solving

Home Management and Other Resources

ACS Patient Tools

Ostomy Home Skills Kit

A booklet with information on the operation, home skills such as emptying and changing a pouch, problem solving, and home management.
A DVD with demonstration of each skill
Stoma Practice Model
Stoma supplies (measurement guide, marking pen, scissors, sample pouch)
Ostomy self-care checklist
Evaluation

Order a kit

Other patient tools:

Preparing for Your Operation

Skills Checklist

Discharge Sheet

Patient Evaluation

Online Course—Enroll in our interactive online course to receive a certificate of completion

Colectomy Brochure

Colonoscopy Brochure

Colonoscopy Prep Form Golytely^®, Colyte^®, Nulytely^®, Trilyte^®

Colonoscopy Prep Form MoviPrep^®

Colonoscopy Prep Form Prepopik^®

Colonoscopy Prep Form MiraLAX^®

Colonoscopy Prep Form Suprep^®

Colonoscopy Prep Form HalfLytely

Colonoscopy Prep Form Visicol^®, Osmoprep^®

Additional Resources

Wound, Ostomy Continence Nurses Society
United Ostomy Associations of America
American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons
Crohn's & Colitis Federation of America
Ostomy Discussion Forum (by United Ostomy Associations of America)
United Ostomy Support Group Page
Colon Cancer Alliance

Professional Resources

Order Ostomy Education Products

Medical Disclaimer

Ostomy Skills Education: Welcome

February 10, 2016

Welcome to the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Ostomy Home Skills Program. You and your family are important members of the surgical team. Watching these video chapters should help you understand how to care for yourself or family member after your operation. The easy-to-follow instructions cover your operation (urostomy, colostomy and ileostomy), ostomy pouches, problem solving, and how to empty, change and apply a new pouch. When you are done watching the programs, you may find more information regarding the ACS Home Skills Ostomy Program at http://www.facs.org/patienteducation/.... Other resources include how to order the Ostomy Home Skills kit -- (booklet, DVD, practice equipment, scissors, and other resources) and a pdf of the booklet in both Spanish and English. The standardized interactive program has been developed by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) with input from the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS), Wound Ostomy Continence Nurses Society (WOCN), and the United Ostomy Associations of America (UOAA).