IN THIS ISSUE OF JWOCN
In a short while, the WOCN Society will be holding its 50th Annual Conference in Philadelphia. I look forward to seeing each of you there to hear the latest in cutting-edge knowledge cutting across our trispecialty. I also invite you to visit the Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing (JWOCN) booth to hear the latest in our ongoing efforts to maintain the premier journal for all things related to wound, ostomy, and continence (WOC) nursing!
Long before it received national and global attention, pressure injury prevention was a key element of WOC nursing care, and the articles in this issue of the Journal show that it remains at the heart of our practice in 2018. The fruits of this ongoing effort were definitively demonstrated in the recent article by VanGilder, Lachenburch and colleagues,1 who analyzed data from the International Pressure Ulcer Prevention project that maintains a robust electronic database of pressure injury prevalence from multiple countries including the United Sates. Based on analysis of more than 918,000 patients cared for in the United States over a 10-year period, they found that overall facility-acquired pressure injury prevalence have declined. Despite these gains, patients continue to be admitted to acute care facilities and facility-acquired injuries continue to occur.
I propose that this reality partially motivated multiple articles appearing in this issue of JWOCN, as it has in issues over the past several decades. This issue's Wound Care section includes an article authored by Ivy Razmus, who analyzed data from the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators and identified factors associated with pressure injury development in pediatric patients managed in acute care facilities in the United States. Her article qualifies as must read for any WOC nurse serving acutely or critically ill infants and children. Jihad el-Marsi, Salah Zein-el-Dine, Bana Zein, Rita Doumit, and Lina Kurdahi Badr evaluated potential risk factors for pressure injury in critically ill patients cared for in Lebanon; you will want to read this timely study to not only determine common factors shared by critically ill patients managed in your facility but also learn how others are confronting the ongoing challenges of pressure injury prevention.
Melissa Monarca, Patty Marteka, and Karen Breda report findings of a quality improvement project designed to recuse medical device-related pressure injury occurrences in a community-based hospital. You will want to read this lucid description of the design and execution of a project looking at an increasingly recognized form of pressure injury. Karen Riemenschneider also reports outcomes of a quality improvement project that evaluated whether a silicone foam dressing would reduce surgical acquired sacral pressure injuries in patients undergoing vascular surgery. Similar to Razmus and el-Marsi's and Monarca's groups, Riemenschneider evaluated preventive practices or risk factors in vulnerable groups that are also understudied. All of these articles truly qualify as must read, and I believe that all can contribute to meeting our ultimate goal of no unavoidable facility-acquired pressure injuries.
Vita Boyar's article discusses a second theme for this issue, WOC nursing care of infants and children. Boyar reports outcomes of a multiple case series of neonates with dehisced thoracic wounds following surgery for complex cardiac anomalies. You will want to read this article to see how the use of a portable, single-use negative pressure wound therapy device and active Leptospermum honey contributed to wound healing in these vulnerable and critically ill patients.
Sahizer Rraydin and Gulcin Avsar report the effect of wound healing on patients with foot ulcers occurring in the context of type 2 diabetes mellitus. This article qualifies as must read because it evaluates the effect of a classic behavioral intervention, exercise, on a prevalent and serious threat to health among the growing number of adults living with diabetes mellitus.
This issue's Ostomy Care section opens with a sequel to the ADVOCATE trial reported in the January/February issue of JWOCN.2 Ariel Berger, Gary Inglese, George Skountrianos, Tonny Karlsmark, and Mustafa Oguz report an economic analysis of the potential economic impact of use of ceramide-infused ostomy pouches in Australia. You will want to read this article to learn more about how innovation in medical supplies and devices influences costs on an individual and national level.
This issue's Continence Care section opens with an evaluation of a novel intrarectal device for management of fecal incontinence. Authored by Sandeep Singh, Balram Bhargava, Padma Vasantha, Rohit Bhatia, Hanish Sharma, Sujoy Pal, Peush Sahni, and Govind Makharia, this study examines feasibility and safety of clinical use of a device with a retention mechanism that is not based on inflation of a retention balloon in the rectal vault. Read this article to determine whether this it should undergo a trial in your facility.
Clarie Todd and Sue Woodward report a qualitative study of nurse's providing bowel management for patients with neurogenic bowel caused by spinal cord injury. This article qualifies as must read because it addresses a largely unacknowledged but very real component of the daily management of persons living with a spinal cord injury. Jung Park, Donna Bliss, Chih-Lin Chi, Connie Delaney, and Bonnie Westra report analysis of several databases in order to identify potential risk factors for healthcare-acquired catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs). You will want to read this timely study to determine whether these factors may influence CAUTI rates in your hospital and how you might use these insights to strengthen the program in your facility. Ozge Oz and Birsen Altay report findings from their cross-sectional study of use of the complementary and alternative interventions in women with urinary incontinence and the relationships between their use, self-esteem, and health-related quality of life. You will want to read this article to improve your understanding of how and why women with incontinence choose to employ these interventions and how such use affects their daily lives.
Yvonne Stallard authored this issue's Evidence-Based Report Card (EBRC) that focuses on obtaining cultures in chronic wounds. What does the evidence say about indications, and the best technique for obtaining a culture? Read Stallard's timely EBRC and find out!
This issue's Getting Ready for Certification centers on terminology used when providing foot care. This article is must read for any WOC or foot care nurse interested in obtaining or renewing certification in this essential area of our specialty practice. Finally, Mary Hill reports on the 2018 CAET conference to be held in Victoria, British Columbia, in May 2018. This meeting promises cutting-edge education, a wonderful location, and proximity to Butchart and Victoria Butterfly Gardens; sound like a win-win and must attend to me!
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