Retrospective Cohort Study on the Effect of Professional Nursing Intervention on Clinical Outcomes after Colostomy in Middle-aged and Elderly Patients

Colostomy substantially affects daily function and psychosocial status, and middle-aged and elderly patients often experience reduced self-care ability, heightened anxiety/depression, and early complications. This single-center retrospective cohort evaluated whether a standardized, professional nursing pathway improves short-term outcomes after colostomy compared with routine care. We analyzed 80 consecutive patients who underwent colostomy between January 2022 and December 2023 and received either routine care (n = 40) or a multi-module pathway (n = 40) integrating structured education, standardized stoma and peristomal skin care, individualized lifestyle/diet guidance, nurse-led brief cognitive-behavioral support, and scheduled follow-up. Outcomes at baseline and post 1 month included self-care ability (Self-Care Ability Assessment Scale, ESCA), anxiety (Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, SAS), depression (Self-Rating Depression Scale, SDS), quality of life (City of Hope Quality of Life-Ostomy Questionnaire, COH-QOL-OQ), complication rates (e.g., stoma infection, stenosis), and nursing satisfaction assessment. Compared with routine care, the professional-care group showed significantly greater improvements in ESCA and COH-QOL-OQ and larger reductions in SAS/SDS (all p < 0.05), along with lower early complication rates and higher nursing satisfaction. This real-world data suggests that a standardized, nurse-delivered post-colostomy pathway improves short-term clinical and patient-reported outcomes in middle-aged and elderly patients.