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OMS Ostomy Management
Specialist Certification Exam
2026
Prepare for the OMS Ostomy Management Specialist
Certification Exam with focused review material covering
ostomy management, gastrointestinal and urinary
diversions, stoma assessment, peristomal skin care,
pouching, complications, surgical procedures, patient
education, and psychosocial care. Designed for
healthcare professionals preparing for the NAWCO OMS
certification exam and reviewing key ostomy care
concepts.
Question 1
Which ostomy type diverts urine rather than stool?
A. Colostomy
B. Ileostomy
C. Urostomy
D. Jejunostomy
C. Urostomy.
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A urostomy (urinary diversion) routes urine through an abdominal stoma.
Colostomy and ileostomy divert stool; jejunostomy diverts intestinal
contents .
Question 2
A healthy, mature stoma should appear which color?
A. Pale pink
B. Beef red to deep pink
C. Dusky purple
D. Dark brown
B. Beef red to deep pink.
A well-vascularized mature stoma is beefy red to deep pink, moist, and
shiny — indicating adequate perfusion and mucosal health .
Question 3
An ascending colostomy produces output that is primarily:
A. Formed solid stool
B. Liquid to semi-liquid stool
C. Concentrated urine
D. Thick paste-like stool
B. Liquid to semi-liquid stool.
The ascending colon absorbs little water; output is liquid to semi-liquid,
similar to ileostomy output, requiring a drainable pouch .
Question 4
A sigmoid colostomy typically produces:
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A. Liquid output
B. Semi-formed output
C. Formed or near-formed stool
D. Mucus only
C. Formed or near-formed stool.
The sigmoid colon is the last absorptive segment; most water has been
reabsorbed, so output is typically formed or near-formed, sometimes
allowing irrigation management .
Question 5
A Brooke ileostomy differs from a Kock continent ileostomy in that the
Brooke:
A. Has an internal reservoir requiring intubation
B. Requires no external pouch
C. Opens flush to skin with continuous external pouching
D. Is used exclusively for urinary diversion
C. Opens flush to skin with continuous external pouching.
A Brooke ileostomy is a traditional end ileostomy protruding 2–3 cm from
the abdomen, draining continuously into an external pouch. The Kock has
an internal reservoir .
Question 6
The most common form of urinary diversion is the:
A. Indiana pouch
B. Orthotopic neobladder
C. Ileal conduit
D. Cutaneous ureterostomy
C. Ileal conduit.
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The ileal conduit (Bricker procedure) is the most common urinary
diversion; a segment of ileum connects ureters to a cutaneous stoma with
continuous urine drainage into an external pouch .
Question 7
The Indiana pouch is best described as:
A. A non-continent ileal conduit
B. A continent cutaneous urinary reservoir
C. An orthotopic bladder substitute
D. A colonic urinary diversion with external pouching
B. A continent cutaneous urinary reservoir.
The Indiana pouch is a continent cutaneous diversion using the right colon
and ileum; patients self-catheterize through the stoma to drain urine — no
external pouch needed .
Question 8
According to WOCN guidelines, the primary goal of pre-operative stoma
siting is to:
A. Minimize surgical incision length
B. Identify a location for secure pouching and patient self-care
C. Select the stoma closest to the midline
D. Place the stoma in the upper abdomen for gravity drainage
B. Identify a location for secure pouching and patient self-care.
WOCN stoma siting aims to place the stoma within the rectus muscle,
away from scars/bony prominences/skin folds, visible to the patient, and
suitable for a secure pouch seal .
OMS Ostomy Management
Specialist Certification Exam
2026
Prepare for the OMS Ostomy Management Specialist
Certification Exam with focused review material covering
ostomy management, gastrointestinal and urinary
diversions, stoma assessment, peristomal skin care,
pouching, complications, surgical procedures, patient
education, and psychosocial care. Designed for
healthcare professionals preparing for the NAWCO OMS
certification exam and reviewing key ostomy care
concepts.
Question 1
Which ostomy type diverts urine rather than stool?
A. Colostomy
B. Ileostomy
C. Urostomy
D. Jejunostomy
C. Urostomy.
,2|Page
A urostomy (urinary diversion) routes urine through an abdominal stoma.
Colostomy and ileostomy divert stool; jejunostomy diverts intestinal
contents .
Question 2
A healthy, mature stoma should appear which color?
A. Pale pink
B. Beef red to deep pink
C. Dusky purple
D. Dark brown
B. Beef red to deep pink.
A well-vascularized mature stoma is beefy red to deep pink, moist, and
shiny — indicating adequate perfusion and mucosal health .
Question 3
An ascending colostomy produces output that is primarily:
A. Formed solid stool
B. Liquid to semi-liquid stool
C. Concentrated urine
D. Thick paste-like stool
B. Liquid to semi-liquid stool.
The ascending colon absorbs little water; output is liquid to semi-liquid,
similar to ileostomy output, requiring a drainable pouch .
Question 4
A sigmoid colostomy typically produces:
,3|Page
A. Liquid output
B. Semi-formed output
C. Formed or near-formed stool
D. Mucus only
C. Formed or near-formed stool.
The sigmoid colon is the last absorptive segment; most water has been
reabsorbed, so output is typically formed or near-formed, sometimes
allowing irrigation management .
Question 5
A Brooke ileostomy differs from a Kock continent ileostomy in that the
Brooke:
A. Has an internal reservoir requiring intubation
B. Requires no external pouch
C. Opens flush to skin with continuous external pouching
D. Is used exclusively for urinary diversion
C. Opens flush to skin with continuous external pouching.
A Brooke ileostomy is a traditional end ileostomy protruding 2–3 cm from
the abdomen, draining continuously into an external pouch. The Kock has
an internal reservoir .
Question 6
The most common form of urinary diversion is the:
A. Indiana pouch
B. Orthotopic neobladder
C. Ileal conduit
D. Cutaneous ureterostomy
C. Ileal conduit.
, 4|Page
The ileal conduit (Bricker procedure) is the most common urinary
diversion; a segment of ileum connects ureters to a cutaneous stoma with
continuous urine drainage into an external pouch .
Question 7
The Indiana pouch is best described as:
A. A non-continent ileal conduit
B. A continent cutaneous urinary reservoir
C. An orthotopic bladder substitute
D. A colonic urinary diversion with external pouching
B. A continent cutaneous urinary reservoir.
The Indiana pouch is a continent cutaneous diversion using the right colon
and ileum; patients self-catheterize through the stoma to drain urine — no
external pouch needed .
Question 8
According to WOCN guidelines, the primary goal of pre-operative stoma
siting is to:
A. Minimize surgical incision length
B. Identify a location for secure pouching and patient self-care
C. Select the stoma closest to the midline
D. Place the stoma in the upper abdomen for gravity drainage
B. Identify a location for secure pouching and patient self-care.
WOCN stoma siting aims to place the stoma within the rectus muscle,
away from scars/bony prominences/skin folds, visible to the patient, and
suitable for a secure pouch seal .
