Palliative Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Care

Palliative wound, ostomy, and continence care is a nascent area of palliative care nursing, with little research and few evidence-based guidelines to guide practice. The majority of patients at end of life will suffer from a wound, ostomy, or continence malady, requiring specialist-level consultation with a wound, ostomy, and continence nurse (WOC nurse). Palliative wound, ostomy, and continence care emphasizes an interprofessional, patient-centered approach to alleviate suffering and promote well-being and quality of life through the preservation or restoration of functional performance. A combination of evidence-based wound, ostomy, and continence nursing interventions and advanced symptom management science is the hallmark of this nursing specialty.