I have a confession. I am not always, 100% of the time, directly thinking about dermatology nursing. I know, I know, it seems surreal to even write those words on paper, right? Just to be clear, I feel like I spend about 90% of my free time thinking about dermatology nursing and the Journal of the Dermatology Nurses' Association (JDNA). Dermatology nursing, dermatology nurses, and the JDNA are always first on my mind. One of the most common times I think about these topics is when I am in the car driving. The time when I am driving is always the best for me to think long and deeply because driving is some of the best uninterrupted, extended time I have to be thoughtful. Actually, I didn't fully realize this till 2020 came and I stopped driving around as much. "Isn't that interesting?" I thought at the time. I think about the JDNA, the content in the Journal, what articles should be included, how to enable them to be written by the experts, and how the articles might be received by the Journal audience. I very much care about this publication and how the content is received and used in your clinical practices. I think that is why, in most editorials, I try to ask the readers of the JDNA questions and ask you to engage with the Journal. It's my feeling that the more I know about you and your individual clinical practices, the better I might be able to offer the articles that address your particular educational needs.
But, yes, in my free times, I sometimes think about nondermatology ideas. However, then, I usually am thinking about the intersection of dermatology issues and dermatology nurses with other healthcare topics and trends. Lately, I have been thinking more about how nurses have been instrumental not only in the recent pandemic concerns, which of course is obvious, but also in other public health issues. Nursing and public health efforts often have similar goals. For example, I regularly think about vaccination efforts and campaigns; safety initiatives in communities; concerns about other infectious diseases; interventions for safety related to seat belts, helmet use, and gun control issues; and community concerns for swimming and boating safety, just among many issues. At the annual Dermatology Nurses' Association (DNA) convention this year, there was a superb lecture about perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substance chemicals or "forever chemicals." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (n.d.) says, "The per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of chemicals used to make fluoropolymer coatings and products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease, and water." As many new reports are showing, these chemicals are of concern because they are found in soils, fish, wildlife, and water and are also beginning to be seen in humans. At this point, it is uncertain how the health of humans is being affected, but I am sure more information will come over time about this.
Of course, as dermatology professionals, we often talk about sun safety and issues related to skin cancer prevention, along with concerns about infectious disease issues and chronic dermatology diagnoses. These topics bring my thinking full circle, of course leading back to dermatology and dermatology nurses. Specifically, I am wondering what efforts are DNA members and JDNA readers taking in their communities to address dermatology concerns. Personally, I have always worked in practices where the model was to see a specific patient, at a specifically planned appointment time. But are there some of you who are working at jobs that address the population needs of the community, county, or state? Are there individuals working at the federal level to address dermatology needs and concerns of our population? I would love to hear if any of you are involved in these types of projects or initiatives. It is my hope that some organizations are acknowledging and addressing dermatology concerns at a population level. If so, please let me know what issues you are addressing and how you are accomplishing this. I would love to know more and possibly share this information with our readers at some point in the future.
I know that I am but one person, albeit a person passionate about dermatology. I probably can't address population-level issues as just one person. But I know we can all make a difference on a smaller scale, an effort that sometimes may be just as important. My sister and I recently went on a vacation together to celebrate my most recent "landmark" birthday. You know, a birthday age that ends with a "0." We had a marvelous week together, but, gosh, did we see a number of sunburned individuals! For a brief moment over vacation coffees and desserts, we talked about developing a plan where we would be funded by skin care companies to simply offer sunscreen and sun-protective clothing and items to those we see with sunburns or at risk for sunburns. We fantasized about spending our days at beaches, festivals, fairs, and amusement parks, offering direct, immediate interventions that would be of benefit to the family or individual. This fantasy idea probably will never happen, but it did get me thinking more about what I can do in my local community. Over the next few months, I am going to consider how I can work within my community to help make dermatology issues a top concern. I am not sure if I will work with community organizations, local government, or specific individuals or employers, but this is something I am going to start thinking about. If you have similar experiences working in your local community, let me know. I'd love to hear what you did and how you did it!
Finally, as always, I make a gentle reminder to readers to consider joining the DNA at its 42nd Annual Convention that is going to be held on March 6-9, 2024, in San Diego, CA. I am sure the registration will be opening soon-be sure to be on the lookout for emails about the convention registration! The theme will be "Exceeding the Vision," and as always, you can expect the educational offerings to be exceptional. I would love to have as many of you attend as possible; it is sure to be another convention with many opportunities for networking and education. Will you consider joining us?
As always, looking forward to hearing from you,
Angela L. Borger
Editor-in-Chief
E-mail: [email protected]
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