IBD Nurse and Advanced Provider Best Practices Resource Library

The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation's Nurse and Advanced Practice Provider Committee has identified the below Best Practice resources to aid nurse and advanced practice providers with caring for IBD patients.  All resources have been vetted in practice and peer reviewed by the committee and will be updated on a routine basis.

The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation provides information for educational purposes only. The Foundation does not provide medical or other health care opinions or services. The inclusion of another organization's resources or referral to another organization does not represent an endorsement of a particular individual, group, company or product.

Adult Resources

Templates/Forms/Checklists/Guides/Resources

• Appeal letters - A variety of Foundation-developed sample letters that you can download and customize for each of your patients—so that they, in turn, can help the people in their lives better understand this illness and accommodate their unique health-related requirements.
• Letter to OB/GYN & Primary providers during pregnancy_Oct. 2018 - Download and customize letter to provide to OB/GYN and primary providers of your pregnant IBD patients which explains the diagnosis, disease stage, medications, and plans for holding medications.
• Brochure and fact sheets for patients - Access to the Foundation's electronic library of brochure and fact sheets for patients and caregivers on a variety of topics.
• Communicating With Patients About IBD Treatment - Tips for communicating effectively with patients.
• Health Maintenance Checklist for IBD Patients - An evidence based health maintenance checklist for IBD patients from the Foundation.
• Intake and Examination Form_AUG 2020 - A comprehensive teaching tool when interviewing and examining a known or suspected IBD patient.
• IBD Patient Intake Data Sheet - Tool for nurses to collect demographic and patient history data for new, return and surgically referred patients.
• IBD Nurse Triage Form_SEPT 2019 - form for nurses and medical assistants when triaging phone calls from IBD patients

Standardized Assessments

• IBD Surveys-Questionnaires for Clinical Practice - A list of clinically useful psychosocial and disease activity tools for use in IBD patients.

Ostomy/Surgery

• Surgical overview & pearls_JUNE 2019 - This resource provides a quick and thorough overview of IBD surgery including common indications for surgery, primary goals of surgery, common surgical procedures, post-operative issues, and finally, clinical pearls as takeaway points.
• Assessment of patient with fecal diversion_JAN 2020 - This resource will assist you in assessing a patient with an ileostomy or colostomy and will provide suggestions for referrals and/or interventions
• Ostomy Resources - A list of ostomy organizations and supply manufacturers.

Special Populations

• Fertility Fact Sheet_December 2018

Pediatric Resources

• Very Early Onset IBD Work Up_March 2021 - Resource that reviews VEO-IBD definition, causes, goals of diagnostic evaluation, clinical presentation, work-up, and more
• Pediatric Health Maintenance Guide_JAN 2020 - A comprehensive guide reviewing maintenance topics such as vaccinations, cancer prevention, eye health, bone health, and other special considerations
• Pediatric assessment tools_Nov. 2017 - to classify the disease type and extent and with measuring disease activity
• Appeal letters - A variety of Foundation-developed sample letters that you can download and customize for each of your patients—so that they, in turn, can help the people in their lives better understand this illness and accommodate their unique health-related requirements.
• Brochure and fact sheets for patients - Access to the Foundation's electronic library of brochure and fact sheets for patients and caregivers on a variety of topics.
• Helping Your Child Take Medicine - An overview of how to help your child take their medications, including pill swallowing tips
• IBD Nurse Triage Form - Intake form for pediatric nurse phone triage
• Probiotics Overview - An overview of probiotics and commonly used probiotics for IBD
• Sick day Diet for IBD - Tips for foods to include or avoid during a sick day
• Travel guide for pediatric patients - Tips for traveling with a child with IBD
• Trusted Pediatric Internet Resources - A list of trusted pediatric online resources

New Resources

Have a resource that you think would be helpful to include here? Submit your documents for review to Sudha Sarode, Professional Education Program Manager, at [email protected].