Digest This - Special Edition 2008 - (Page 13)

Digestive Disease institute et/Woc nursing at cleveland clinic: a History of caring Cleveland Clinic was the birthplace of Enterostomal Therapy/Wound, ostomy, Continence nursing 50 years ago. The ET/WoC nursing specialty began when R.B. Turnbull, MD, treated a seriously ill female patient with mucosal ulcerative colitis. For her to survive, Dr. Turnbull had to remove her colon and rectum, which meant her body needed a new path for waste to leave. He left the remaining small bowel and created an ileostomy to allow the waste to pass from her body through this small opening in her abdomen called a stoma. This stoma proved to be a life-saving procedure, but the patient required an external device to collect the waste and contain the odor. The patient needed to wear a rubber bag at her waist to collect her waste; the bag was attached with skin cement, which did not hold well or protect her skin. The bag needed to be emptied several times a day and changed frequently. The equipment at the time was bulky and did little or nothing to protect the skin around the stoma or contain the odor. Despite these many challenges the grateful patient, norma Gill, survived and embarked on a partnership with Dr. Turnbull to work with him in his search to develop improved ways to deal with this problem and help others facing this difficult condition. Word about their work spread, which attracted other physicians, nurses and patients from across the United States and abroad. What began as a modest partnership in Cleveland has grown into improving the lives of countless patients with wounds, ostomies and incontinence around the world. Today, 50 years later, Cleveland Clinic is a world-renowned center of ET/WoC nursing education and care. The search for new treatment techniques continues, but the caring and compassion remain the same. Paula Erwin-Toth, Rn Some 50 years ago, a baby girl was born with multiple birth defects. Several doctors thought she would be incontinent of urine and stool, never walk, experience hearing deficits and be mentally challenged. one doctor counseled her parents that the kindest thing to do would be to allow their baby to die. Her parents did not take the advice they received. Instead, they did the best they could for their child and took her to several specialists who gave them hope. Granted, there we going to be many surgeries along the way, and she was incontinent of urine. She did manage to walk by the time she was four years old, however, and happily did not experience any hearing problems, nor was she mentally challenged. She experienced many kidney stones and hemorrhages along the way and had to wear a diaper to manage her urinary incontinence. At the age of 10, she underwent a urinary diversion to help protect her kidneys and contain the urine in a pouch, instead of diapers. At the time, she was so fortunate to have terrific surgeons, a wonderful, family and the one and only norma Gill to help her learn how to care for her ostomy. That little girl was Paula Erwin-Toth, Rn, who today is Director of ET/WoC nursing Education at Cleveland Clinic. She was mentored by, and for 18 years has worked at Cleveland Clinic with, Victor Fazio, MD, Dr. Turnbull’s successor, in her role teaching other nurses, physicians and patients how to manage wounds, ostomies and incontinence. Erwin-Toth says, “Having been a patient most of my life, I have empathy for what people are facing. If my experience, caring, skill and support can help them cope with an ostomy, then I know the spirit and dedication of norma and Dr. Turnbull live on.” Paula Erwin-Toth addresses the 50 Years of Excellence ET/WOC Nursing conference in April. For more information, email digestthis@ccf.org clevelandclinic.org /digestthis InVESTIGATIonS {13} http://www.clevelandclinic.org/digestthis

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Digest This - Special Edition 2008 Table of Contents Investigations Institute Overview Innovations Staff Research

Digest This - Special Edition 2008

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