The nurse is caring for a patient who has undergone creation of a urinary diversion. Forty-eight hours postoperatively, the nurse's assessment reveals that the stoma is a dark purplish color. What is the nurse's most appropriate response?

Question

A) Document the presence of a healthy stoma.
B) Assess the patient for further signs and symptoms of infection.
C) Inform the primary care provider that the vascular supply may be compromised.
D) Liaise with the wound-ostomy-continence (WOC) nurse because the ostomy appliance around the stoma may be too loose.

Answer 1

Ans: C
Feedback:
A healthy stoma is pink or red. A change from this normal color to a dark purplish color suggests that the vascular supply may be compromised. A loose ostomy appliance and infections do not cause a dark purplish stoma.