The learning curve for stoma care; can it be shortened by Stoma CNS input at weekends or affected by day of surgery?

Abstract Aims Length of hospital stay for colorectal patients can be prolonged by stoma training. This study explores the impact of 2 variables on time to stoma competency; day of the week that surgery is performed and whether stoma education was available at the weekends. Methods Retrospective review of a prospectively maintained stoma database identified all patients who had a GI tract stoma formed between 1st January and 31st December 2020. Demographics, operative details and time to stoma competence data was collated. Results 158 patients had a stoma formed. Mean age was 59 years (range 13 – 94). Conclusions Time to stoma competence was shorter when stoma education was available at the weekends, despite similar numbers of reviews being provided. This suggests that length of hospital stay could be reduced for this cohort by providing stoma education 7 days a week. The day that surgery was performed did not have a clear impact on time to stoma competence.