This diploma thesis investigates the issue of urostomy aids from the perspective of the patients with a urostomy and stoma nurse specialists. A urostomy is a surgical procedure which diverts the normal flow of urine from the kidneys and ureters into a specially created stoma. It is one of the techniques of solving urine derivation after the surgical removal of the bladder. The most common indications for this surgery is indisputably a malignant tumour of the urinary bladder. Creating a urostomy is the fundamental turning point and change in the patient´s life. The patient has to learn how to live with a urostomy not only from a physical point of view, but also from the perspective of its great psychological response significance. The right choice and correct use of urostomy aids is crucial for the patients with a urostomy and significantly affects quality of their life. Given these circumstances, the patient with a urostomy should be provided with wide range of urostomy aids. The thesis is divided into the theoretical and empirical part. The theoretical part is described in seven chapters. The empirical part of the thesis includes qualitative research. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews with the patients with a urostomy and stoma nurse specialists. For each group of respondents, several categories and subcategories were formed. These were further described in detail. The collected data were presented in diagrams. Three objectives were defined in the thesis. The first objective examined the level of patient´s knowledge of urostomy aids. The second objective investigated the patient´s possibilities concerning the use of urostomy aids. Based on the initial results of the research, the third objective focused on development of an educational plan specializing in urostomy aids and its verification in practice. This plan will be dedicated to the urostomy nurse specialists when working with the patients. Following these objectives, four research questions were formed. Research question no. 1: What is the level of patient´s knowledge of urostomy aids? Research question no. 2: What are the possibilities of the use of urostomy aids by the patients with a urostomy? Research question no. 3: What is the level of nurse´s knowledge of urostomy aids? Research question no. 4: How the urostomy nurse specialists educate the patients with a urostomy? The results of the qualitative survey demonstrate that the level of patient´s knowledge of urostomy aids is insufficient, despite the contrary opinion provided by the stoma care nurses. Lack of their knowledge is however not related to their contact with the stoma nurse specialist. The results did not confirm that the patients with a urostomy frequenting stoma nurse specialists for regular checks would be better informed than those who do not follow the regular checks. Furthermore, the survey reveals that possibilities of the use of urostomy aids by the patients are very limited. Stoma nurse specialists do not introduce urostomy aids supplied by all companies on our market to the patients and thus they do not provide an option for individual choice of these aids. This situation occurs despite the fact that stoma nurse specialists demonstrated a very good knowledge of urostomy aids. The results of this investigation also confirm that the education carried out by stoma nurse specialists is acceptable and understandable for the patients with a urostomy. The proof is demonstrated by their satisfaction with this education. The outcome of this thesis focuses on the educational plan designated for stoma nurse specialists caring for the patients with a urostomy. The given educational plan was developed based on the results of the research and is particularly focused on the presentation of all available urostomy aids within the postoperative education.

En individ som blir urostomiopererad utsätts för påfrestningar, då individen tappar kontrollen över ett mänskligt behov. Både pre- och postoperativ omvårdnad är avgörande för hur individer kan förbereda sig inför den nya livssituationen efter operationen. Det är viktigt att sjuksköterskor besitter kunskap i omvårdnad av urostomi för att kunna lära ut god egenvård, det kan minska risken för komplikationer och det ger även möjlighet att återfinna självständighet. Syfte: Syftet med litteraturstudien var att belysa individers upplevelse av att leva med urostomi.  Metod: Studien genomfördes som en allmän litteraturstudie där vetenskapliga artiklar granskades på ett systematiskt sätt. Resultat: Resultatet baseras på sex stycken vetenskapliga artiklar som resulterade i tre kategorier: Stödets betydelse, Påverkan på självbilden och Förändrad livssituation. Individerna upplevde att stöd från både familj och vänner samt från hälso- och sjukvårdspersonalen var betydelsefullt. Urostomin hade inverkan på kroppsuppfattningen både fysiskt och psykiskt. Det var besvärligt att välja kläder på grund av att urostomin var i vägen. Även självkänslan påverkads av den förändrade kroppsuppfattning och det var psykiskt påfrestande att se sig själv i spegeln. Rädslan för läckage begränsade mångas liv och hindrade individer från att utföra vardagliga aktiviteter. Till följd av urostomin blev både det sociala och sexuella livet påverkat. / An individual that undergoes urostomy surgery is put under a lot of stress, since the individual loses control of a basic need. Both pre- and postoperative care is crucial in order for the individuals to prepare for their new life situation after the surgery. It is important that nurses possess knowledge of care of urostomy in order to be able to teach good self-care. This can lower the risk of complications and it gives the “individual” the opportunity to rediscover independence. Purpose: The aim of the literature study was to highlight the experience of individuals living with urostomy. Method: The study was done in the form of a general literature study were scientific articles were systematically reviewed. Result: The result is based on six scientific articles that resulted in three categories: The importance of the support, The effect on self-image and changed life situation. The individuals experienced that support from both family and friends as well as from healthcare personnel was of importance. The urostomy had an effect on body-image both physically and mentally. It was difficult to choose clothing since the urostomy was in the way. A change in self-esteem was also affected by the body-image and it was mentally stressful to look at yourself in the mirror. The fear of leakage restricted the life of many and obstructed individuals from performing every day activities. Because of the urostomy both the social and sex life was affected.