The digestive system breaks down food through mechanical and chemical processes. The digestive system consists of the gastrointestinal tract. The gastrointestinal tract is the path from the mouth to the anus. This is where nutrients and energy from food and fluids are reabsorbed and waste is excreted in feces and urine. Understanding the digestion process can help nurses care for a child who has a stoma. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The first step of the digestive system is the mechanical and chemical process that occurs in the mouth. This is where food and liquids in the mouth are broken down when chewed with the help of the enzyme called amylase present in saliva. After food is ingested, it travels through the esophagus and enters the stomach for further digestion by enzymes. The stomach is where most proteins are digested. From the stomach, digested food and liquids pass into the small intestine, which consists of the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum (Burch, 2013). In the small intestine, more digestive enzymes are added to the intestinal contents. Inside the small intestine, most nutrients in food are reabsorbed into the body. The duodenum joins the stomach to the jejunum. In fasting the pH of the contents changes to allow a suitable environment for enzymes to further digest the food. Food and liquids partially digested in the jejunum are passed into the ileum. The ileum is where most nutrients are absorbed. From the small intestine, digested food and liquids pass into the large intestine. This is the final process of chemical digestion where water and electrolytes are absorbed and stool is formed. The rectum is the last part of the large intestine, it is where bowel movement occurs. The anal sphincter is a muscle that allows control of bowel movement when necessary. A stoma is an artificial opening found on the abdomen. The stoma is needed to divert the flow of stool or urine into an external pouch instead of the rectum and out the anus. A bag fits around the opening to collect the waste contents. The reasons why stomas are made are due to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), short bowel syndrome or intestinal obstruction. The digestive system can help nurses care for a child with a stoma. It will help create a better understanding of the different roles involved in caring for a child with a stoma (Waller, 2008). Nurses should be able to explain what a stoma is to patients and the purpose of the stoma. The way to provide that information is to understand the digestive system. For example, children may need a stoma due to an intestinal obstruction. Therefore nurses can provide information to the patient about why the stoma is needed. Intestinal obstruction is obstruction of the intestine that prevents the normal movement of digestive products. In case of intestinal obstruction, a stoma is necessary to complete the digestive process. This is because intestinal obstruction makes it difficult to pass stool. The last stage of the digestive process occurs in the rectum where waste products are removed from the body through the anus. This process therefore cannot be completed in case of intestinal obstruction. Additionally, the stoma created on the abdomen connects to the organs of the digestive system. The stoma has two openings close to each other. One is connected to the functioning part of the intestine. For example, stomas like the colostomy are created with the loop of the large intestine,.2009.7.1.39372