FROM DYSTOPIA TO UTOPIA: THE PERCEPTIONS OF OSTOMY CLIENTS

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Following ostomy surgery, patients experience overwhelming changes which often affect their overall well-being (Ito et al., 2012). Surprisingly, there is paucity on the perceptions and views of clients with an ostomy in a Filipino understanding. A phenomenological lens anchored on the philosophy of Husserl was used to discover and describe the lived experience of clients with ostomy. Purposive-Snowball sampling was utilized in the study. Conversational, formal and semi-structured interviews were the methods used as means to unravel the experience of the participants. Data analysis was based on Colaizzi’s methodology. The whole process was based on the data, transcribed interviews, sorting, categorizations (cool analysis), categories as thematized (warm analysis) and a repertory grid or a dendrogram that paved the way to discovering the value of the lived experiences of clients with ostomy. The description of the experience revealed two major themes namely, the Dystopia experience that emanate from the participants’ negative perceptions of alienation, desolation and desperation. Moreover, the second theme is the Utopia experience that derives from the participants’ understanding of acceptance, gratitude, and enlightenment. It is imperative that there is a need to understand the perceptions of clients with ostomy to devise an appropriate plan of care that addresses the main goal of a healthy transition.