Which skin assessment tools are used for peristomal evaluation?

• A. The Ostomy Skin Tool- Coloplast and SACS Instrument- Convatec
• B. The Braden Scale and the SACS Instrument
• C. The Ostomy Skin Tool- Coloplast
• D. The SACS Instrument- Convatec

Answer: (A)

Understanding how the skin around a stoma is assessed is about using standardized tools that document what’s happening consistently. The Ostomy Skin Tool from Coloplast provides a structured way to evaluate peristomal skin, capturing details like the type of skin lesion, its severity, and the area involved. This creates a clear, objective description of the skin condition that can be tracked over time and used to guide care decisions.

The SACS Instrument from Convatec adds another validated method for classifying and documenting peristomal skin findings. Using both tools together gives a more complete, standardized picture of the peristomal skin status, which helps with communication among clinicians and with evaluating how well treatments are working.

The Braden Scale is designed to assess risk for pressure injuries in general, not specifically to peristomal skin changes, so it isn’t suitable for peristomal evaluation.