Table 6. Medical history questions about peristomal skin and ostomy care routines.

“Are you having skin problems around your ostomy?” “Are you having leaks?” “How often are you changing your appliance? Are you getting any help with that?” (The average is about every four days. Remember that some patients who use a “two piece system” can change their pouch without changing the skin barrier. Others have a one-piece appliance. The key is to find out how often they change the part of their equipment that adheres to the skin.) “Can you see your stoma and surrounding skin when you change your skin barrier and pouch?”