Certified Ostomy Care Nurse (COCN) Practice Exam

A colostomy is the type of stoma most commonly associated with evacuation disorders. This is primarily because a colostomy involves the diversion of the colon to the abdominal wall, allowing stool to exit the body. Individuals with a colostomy may experience various evacuation disorders, such as constipation or obstruction, due to changes in their bowel habits, the thickness of the stool, and the amount of stool they are able to produce. In contrast, an ileostomy, which is another type of bowel diversion involving the small intestine, tends to produce more liquid stool, which affects evacuation differently and is less likely to be associated with typical evacuation disorders. A urostomy, which diverts urine away from the bladder, does not relate to bowel function or evacuation. A rectal stoma, when discussed, is often an alternate term for certain surgical procedures but generally does not function in the same capacity as a colostomy regarding evacuation difficulties. Thus, the characteristics of a colostomy make it the most relevant choice when considering issues related to evacuation disorders.