Travel Resources

Community nurses are well placed to provide information about travel to people living with a stoma. Although much of the advice seems like common sense, learning to live with a stoma and adapt the stoma into lifestyles can be difficult. Patients often want advice and reassurance that they can travel — be this on foot, by car, boat or aeroplane. There is a great deal of information on the internet from support groups, which is often reviewed by healthcare professionals and people living with a stoma to ensure accuracy. There is also information available from stoma appliance manufacturers and dispensers on their websites. Healthcare professionals need to advocate caution in using other sites that may be the opinion of just one person and may not offer a balanced view. However, in general, community nurses can encourage travelling as a safe and enjoyable way to live after stoma forming surgery.

Judy Poole discusses leprosy, new treatments and protocols for dealing with the disease and warns community nurses to be on the lookout for this disfiguring condition.

Judy Poole, MPH, BSc (Hons), PGDAE, RGN, RM, RHV is a Lecturer,
School of Health & Social Welfare,
Open University, East Midlands and
Children Services Liaison Health Visitor
with Broxtowe & Hucknall
PCT, Nottingham
Article accepted for publication
May 2000.