IN THIS ISSUE OF JWOCN
The May/June 2020 issue of the Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing (JWOCN) consists of a vanguard of clinicians and researchers presenting the latest knowledge in all areas of our specialty practice (chronic wounds, ostomies, urinary or fecal incontinence, and foot and nail care). Authors in this issue come from across China (Nantong City, located in the Jiangsu Province, just north of Shanghai; Guangzhou, located in Southern China Northwest of Hong Kong; and Beijing, the capitol city of China, in the country's northern region). Our author community also resides in Taipei and Hualien, Taiwan, and Sydney, Australia. Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing contributors also come from Udine, Italy, located northeast of Venice and near the border with Slovenia, and Coventry, England. North America is well represented in this issue, with authors originating from Alabama, Illinois, North Carolina, and Rhode Island (Figure). Want to know the identity of the premier journal for wound, ostomy, and continence (WOC) and foot and nail care? It is happening in the pages of JWOCN!
This issue's Wound Care section focuses on pressure injury epidemiology, prevention, and care. Hong-Lin Chen, Ji-Yu Cai, Lin Du, Hong-Wu Shen, Hai-Rong Yu, Yi-Ping Song, and Man-Li Zha report findings from a systematic review and meta-analysis of the incidence of pressure injuries in patients living with a paralyzing spinal cord injury. Their pooled analysis incorporates 29 studies and 82,772 individuals with spinal injuries to provide cutting-edge evidence essential to your practice when judging pressure injury risk in this vulnerable population. Alvisa Palese, Erica Zammattio, Ranieri Zuttion, Barbara Ferrario, Sandra Ponta, Silvia Gonella, and Rosanna Comoretto present findings of their study of the prevalence of unavoidable pressure injuries in Italian nursing home residents. This study is a must read as we continue to define and refine our understanding of the clinically relevant distinction between what truly comprises an avoidable and unavoidable pressure injury in our increasingly high-risk patient population.
Teresa Novy and Wendy Woith report findings of a nonrandomized comparison cohort trial evaluating the efficacy of an adapted version of the Project Re-Engineered Discharge wound care order set that included specific wound care instructions for use following discharge to home care. You will want to read this insightful and timely study not only to determine the effect of this type of approach when patients with chronic wounds transition from one care setting (acute care) to another but also to improve your understanding of how that pesky electronic medical record can aid in care delivery and its quantitative analysis. Rhonda Sullivan, Elizabeth Barnby, and Shannon Graham describe modification of the Norton Scale for Pressure Sore Risk for use in the critical care unit. You will want to read this ambitious and timely quality improvement project to determine if their experience with this modified version of a historically relevant pressure injury risk scale should be used in your facility's intensive care units.
In this issue's Ostomy Care section, Mei-Yu Hsu, Jui-Ping Lin, Hsiao-Hui Hsu, Hsing-Ling Lai, and Yu-Lin Wu report findings of their systematic review and meta-analysis of Chinese language articles on the effect of preoperative stoma site marking on stoma and peristomal complications. This article qualities as must read not only because of the fundamental question it poses, the effect of stoma site marking on postoperative outcomes, but also because of the rich data from Chinese language articles not otherwise easily accessible to those of us who do not speak Chinese or regularly read this rich source of professional literature.
Fang Qin, Li Zhen, Xinmei Ye, Huiqiang Wei, Mulan Zhu, Jiali Chen, and Lei Shi, a Chinese and British research team, collaborated on a study of stigma in patients living with an ostomy. This article provides insights into the role that perceived stigma plays in reestablishing a new normal following creation of an ostomy; it also provides insights into the cultural challenges faced by this sample population residing in Guangzhou, China.
This issue's Continence Care section opens with a report of findings from a cross-sectional study of the prevalence of chronic constipation and associated factors in community-dwelling adults residing in Australia. Authored by Barry Werth, Murray Fisher, Kylie Williams, and Lisa Pont, this study documents the surprisingly high prevalence of this chronic constipation while identifying clinically relevant and possibly modifiable associated factors.
Tzu-Ting Wang, Min-Huey Chung, Hung-Yu Chien, Mary Palmer, Chun-Ho Liao, and Yuan-Mei Liao report findings from a cross-sectional study of the prevalence of nocturia in women living with diabetes mellitus and associated factors. Long recognized as a clinically relevant lower urinary tract symptom, nocturia is undergoing a sorely needed resurgence as an area of investigation, and this article, reflecting a collaboration between Taiwanese and American researchers, provides important new knowledge concerning this complex and prevalent condition.
In this issue's Foot and Nail Care section, Jin Liu, Qian Lu, Dong Pang, Ping Yang, Sanli Jin, Geheng Yuan, Xin Qi, Bing Wen, Yanming Ding, and Xiaohui Guo report findings from a cross-sectional study of foot care education in Beijing, China. You will want to read this clinically relevant and timely study to compare their approach to foot care education to yours and to learn more about how education influenced knowledge and behavior.
Malgorzata Arnold, Cecilia Yanez, and Blanca Yanez authored this issue's Clinical Challenges article that describes their experiences with a pressure redistributing support surface that combines air-fluidized therapy and continuous low-pressure features in order to prevent and treat pressure injuries while maximizing patient comfort and satisfaction. You will want to read this thoughtful and enthusiastic article on the authors' experiences with this specialty bed and determine its potential role in your facility's pressure injury prevention and management program.
Finally, this issue's Getting Ready for Certification is authored by Shawn Meadows and Jill Trelease. You want to read this special feature and answer the practice questions as you prepare for this essential component of WOC nurse certification.