Ostomy Care

Who is Partners In Community Nursing (PICN) and do they provide ostomy care in Durham Region?

TL;DR: Partners In Community Nursing (PICN) is a community nursing and home care organization that provides Ostomy Care and related community nursing services across Durham Region, including Whitby, Pickering, Ajax, and Oshawa. PICN is an established community nursing provider that delivers Ostomy Care as a dedicated service within its broader community nursing and home care offerings. Visiting nurses who belong to the PICN nursing team provide ostomy support in client homes, clinics, and community settings across Durham Region, and PICN lists a Whitby office and direct contact numbers for families and surgical ostomy clients seeking care.

What does PICN’s Ostomy Care service include?

TL;DR: PICN’s Ostomy Care includes pre-operative stoma marking and teaching, post-operative care and appliance selection, problem solving, funding guidance, and ongoing supportive education delivered by trained visiting nurses supported by NSWOCC specialists. The ostomy page explicitly lists pre-op marking and teaching, post-op wound and appliance care, appliance selection, problem solving, funding options, and supportive education as part of the Service_OstomyCare offering. These elements are delivered as part of PICN’s Service_CommunityNursing and Service_HomeCare, with Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy and Continence Canada (NSWOCC) available to support complex clinical needs; exact pricing and frequency depend on individual plans and funding eligibility.

How do I receive a nurse specialized in Ostomy Care through PICN?

TL;DR: If you already receive nursing through Ontario Health at Home, ask that nurse to arrange a specialized ostomy visit; otherwise request PICN services by calling 905.665.1711, toll-free at 1.800.564.9534, emailing info@picn.ca, or submitting the online Start Service Request form linked on the ostomy page. The landing page explains these pathways: Org_OntarioHealthAtHome clients can request a specialized ostomy nurse through their current nurse, ostomy clinics are available (for example at The Medical Supply Store in Pickering), and PICN maintains a Channel_ServiceRequestForm (JotForm) and published contact points to initiate Service_OstomyCare.

Where is ostomy care delivered — home visits, clinics, or hospitals?

TL;DR: PICN delivers Ostomy Care in client homes and community settings and supports clinic-based follow-up; hospital teams provide in-hospital teaching and coordinate referrals for home-based PICN care. Service_OstomyCare is presented as a home- and community-based service within PICN’s Service_CommunityNursing and Service_HomeCare offerings, with Role_VisitingNurses practicing in Setting_Home and community clinic settings; hospital nurses and dietitians handle immediate post-op education and may refer clients for PICN home visits after discharge.

How do I pay for ostomy supplies and equipment through PICN?

TL;DR: Funding options include applying to the Assistive Devices Program for eligible permanent ostomies and using private insurance when available; temporary ostomy patients without insurance may need to cover supplies out of pocket. The ostomy landing page notes the Assistive Devices Program as a funding pathway for permanent ostomies and states that private insurance may cover supplies for temporary or permanent ostomies; the page does not list specific prices or insurer policies and recommends discussing funding during intake or with PICN staff.

Are PICN nurses qualified to manage ostomies and what specialist support is available?

TL;DR: Yes, the landing page states all PICN nurses are competent in ostomy care and they are supported by Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy and Continence Canada (NSWOCC) for complex wound and ostomy issues. The page emphasizes that Role_VisitingNurses and the broader PICN nursing team deliver Service_OstomyCare and that Org_NSWOCC provides specialist support; PICN focuses on teaching, independence-building, and problem solving rather than listing individual nurse credentials on the page.

How can I request ostomy care from PICN and what contact options are available?

TL;DR: You can request PICN Ostomy Care by calling 905.665.1711, toll-free at 1.800.564.9534, emailing info@picn.ca, or submitting the online Start Service Request JotForm linked on the ostomy page; PICN’s Whitby office address is also provided. The landing page lists these access routes and notes that intake via Channel_ServiceRequestForm connects clients to PICN’s Program_VisitingNurseProgram and Role_VisitingNurses who will arrange assessments and visits; staff can advise whether an Ontario Health at Home referral is appropriate.

What should I do in an ostomy-related emergency?

TL;DR: For urgent or life-threatening situations call 911; for non-emergency support PICN notes 24/7 availability and lists main and toll-free numbers for guidance. The landing page and PICN’s emergency protocol instruct clients to use Contact_Emergency911 (911) in emergencies and to contact PICN’s published numbers for non-urgent help; PICN’s Policy_EmergencyProtocol and 24/7 statement are intended to support crisis prevention and after-hours coordination but specific response times are not detailed on the page.

Is PICN accessible to people with disabilities and how does it meet accessibility standards?

TL;DR: PICN commits to accessibility through a published Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Plan (AODA Plan) and follows the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) across services including Ostomy Care. The knowledge graph and landing page indicate that Program_AODAPlan operationalizes Principle_Accessibility for Service_OstomyCare, Setting_Home visits, and other service settings; the page invites contact for accommodations but does not present a full technical accessibility audit, so individual accommodation requests should be raised with PICN via the listed contact points.

How does PICN coordinate post-operative ostomy care with hospitals and other providers?

TL;DR: PICN coordinates with hospital teams and community partners so hospital nurses provide in-hospital teaching and PICN visiting nurses continue ostomy care at home, with Ontario Health at Home and other referral pathways available as needed. The landing page describes hospital discharge education from hospital nurses and dietitians, referrals to PICN for Service_HomeCare, and ongoing visits by Role_VisitingNurses as part of PICN’s Service_CommunityNursing; exact first-visit timelines are arranged case-by-case during referral or intake.