In This Issue of JWOCN
This issue's anniversary commentary, the last in a series of 6 commentaries celebrating the Journal's 40th year, points out that our author pool has grown from primarily the United States and Canada to incorporate authors from across the globe. The final issue of volume 40 provides ample evidence for this globalization. In addition to authors in the United States and Canada, this issue includes articles and communications published by colleagues from China, Taiwan, Japan, Sweden, Denmark, England, and Turkey.
The Wound Care section opens with a randomized clinical trial comparing gauze dressings and a solid pectin-based skin barrier for tracheostomy management authored by Wen-Ling Chuang, Wen-Pei Huang, Mei-Hsing Chen, I-Ping Liu, Wen-Liang Yu, and Chi-Chun Chin. I encourage you to read this article carefully because it provides badly needed evidence for management of the peristomal skin around a tracheostomy. While the results are unlikely to be surprising to a group of WOC nurse experts, the generation of supporting evidence such as is contained in this article is essential for changing practice.
Kimberly LeBlanc, Dawn Christensen, Jocelyn Cook Bernadette Culhane, and Olivia Gutirrez report results of an epidemiologic study of skin tears in a Canadian long-term care facility. This article qualifies as must read: it provides both epidemiologic data on about skin tears in the long-term care setting and analysis to identify potential etiologic factors.
Transcutaneous oxygen pressure measurement represents a possible technique for predicting wound healing potential in patients with diabetic foot ulcers. Chuan Yang, Huan Weng, Lihing Chen, Haiyun Yang, Guangming Luo, Lifang Mai, Guosho Jin, and Li Yan report results of a descriptive study investigating mean values for persons with diabetic foot ulcers and possible cut points for wound healing potential. You will want to read this interesting research report to determine whether your facility should consider adding this assessment to your comprehensive evaluation of this complex and difficult-to-heal wound.
Elise Rodd-Nielson and Connie Harris report findings from their study of education, policy, and practices of Canadian nurses performing conservative sharp wound debridement. I encourage you to carefully read this article, regardless of your current location, to gain further insights into the extent of this practice, its delivery in multiple care settings, and educational programs designed to address this procedure.
The Clinical Challenges feature also focuses on wound care. Saime Iroker, Nazan Sivrioglu, and Huray Karaca describe their experiences with negative pressure wound therapy in a patient with a complex pilonidal cyst. I encourage you to read this feature to determine whether the approach described by these authors also might inform your practice.
The Ostomy Care section opens with a report of results from a prospective, longitudinal evaluation of peristomal and stoma complications evaluated at 2 weeks and 3, 6, 12, and 24 months following hospital discharge. This article by Elisabet Lindholm, Eva Persson, Eva Carlsson, Ann-Marie Hallen, Jeanette Fingren, and Ina Berndtsson easily qualifies as must read because of its repeated-measures design, providing true insights into the comparative likelihood that patients will experience various complications based on time since surgery.
Susanne Ammitzboll Kristensen, Sussie Laustsen, Briet Kiesby, and Bente Thoft Jensen report a validation study of a scale designed to measure self-management skills for persons living with a urostomy. This study is especially valuable to your practice because it provides badly needed evidence in an understudied area. I encourage you to read this article to determine whether this scale might be useful in your clinical practice.
Nazike Duruk and Huyla Ucar report findings from a study of registered nurses who were asked about their knowledge of and their perceived responsibilities for ostomy care. This article qualifies as must read for every WOC nurse, and it demands follow-up research to determine these critical outcomes in nurses practicing in North and South America, Western Europe, Australia, and Asia.
This issue's Continence Care section consists of a single article, but what an article. Christine Norton and Lesley Dibley present findings from a study that evaluated help-seeking in persons with inflammatory bowel disease who are also experiencing fecal incontinence. You will want to read this article to gain insights into the challenges faced by this select group of patients who frequently interact with WOC nurses over the course of their lives.
The Getting Ready for Certification feature focuses on what I find to be a remarkably successful strategy for sharpening skills when taking the WOCNCB certification examinations. I encourage you to read this thoughtful feature, authored by Lea Crestodina, Elizabeth E. Baker, and Kay L. Durkop-Scott, to learn what this strategy is and how to apply it when renewing or taking a certification examination for the first time.