How Do I Become an Enterostomal Therapist?

Enterostomal therapists are nursing healthcare professionals who help patients with problems such as ulcers or bowel and urinary problems. These specialized nurses essentially enable patients to cope with surgeries called ostomies, which involve making an aperture in the body to help rid the body of wastes. In order to become an enterostomal therapist, you should complete at least two years of college training and obtain hands-on experience with helping patients who battle with bowel problems. You also must master the skills of being detail-oriented and self-driven.

An individual who wants to become an enterostomal therapist should complete a four-year bachelor’s degree in registered nursing. You also can consider completing a two-year associate degree program from a community college or a three-year hospital diploma program in this field, although a bachelor’s degree is usually more attractive to potential employers. To get into a nursing degree program, you should submit a copy of your high school diploma or the equivalent certification along with an application for admission and transcript. Some educational institutions will also require scores from standardized tests.

In preparation to become an enterostomal therapist, take general nursing program classes such as psychology, nutrition, and physiology, as well as anatomy and chemistry. Classes in leadership, communication, and pharmacology also are important if you want to become an enterostomal therapist. In addition, work to improve your verbal communication skills and interpersonal skills, as you will be heavily involved in educating nervous and ailing patients as well as their concerned family members.

If you wish to become an enterostomal therapist, you also must hone industry skills through classes such as continence management and ostomy management. Focus specifically on topics such as how to manage percutaneous tubes, how to perform peristomal skin assessments, and how the genitourinary and gastrointestinal systems operate. In addition, practice giving patient post-operative instructions so that patients know how to care for themselves following enterostomal therapy surgeries and procedures such as gastrostomy, which is the insertion of a feeding tube. Also, you should work to become comfortable with handling diabetic and malignant wounds, as well as dealing with leg ulcers and skin tears appropriately.

Completing an internship that will give you practical work experience as an enterostomal therapist will give you an extra edge in the field. Work experience opportunities are often available in private doctors’ offices, hospitals, and clinics. During your internship, try to get experience with revising plans of care, preparing patient teaching materials, and performing clinical activities such as draining wounds. This will help you to become additionally prepared to pass a licensing/certification exam in nursing so that you will be qualified to practice in this field.