Development and Evaluation of a Healthcare Empowerment Program for Patients with Temporary Ileostomy

Purpose: The study aimed to develop a Healthcare Empowerment Program for patients with Temporary Ileostomy (HCEP-TI) and evaluate its effectiveness. Methods: The HCEP-TI was developed based on Johnson ’ s model of healthcare empowerment by reviewing relevant literature, identifying patients ’ needs through in-depth interviews, and testing content validity. The study was conducted at K University D hospital from June 2019 to September 2020 using a randomized controlled trial with a pretest-posttest design. The subjects were randomly assigned to two groups: experimental (n=15), which participated in HCEP-TI once a week for seven weeks, and control (n=15), which participated in conventional ileostomy care. Data were analyzed using linear by linear association, Mann-Whitney U, and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Results: There were significant differences between the experimental and control groups in healthcare empowerment, self-management knowledge and behavior, and degree of peristomal skin damage. However, there was no significant difference between the groups regarding dehydration. Conclusion: The HCEP-TI including engaged, informed, collaborative, committed, and tolerant of uncertainty intervention is effective in improving healthcare empowerment, self-management knowledge and behavior, and the degree of peristomal skin damage. This program can help patients with temporary ileostomy improve their empowerment, self-management, and stoma conditions.