Congratulations! By visiting jwocnonline, you are ready to access the Journal's exclusive Published Ahead of Print (PAP) early edition feature. PAP allows the Journal to bring you the latest information before it appears in the printed edition. These sneak peaks constitute the same must read information you have come to expect in the printed edition of the Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing, available only to the sophisticated user of jwocnonline. While you will want to visit all of the PAP features, here are a few that have significant impact on the full scope of WOC nurse practice.
In their article titled Are Toe Pressures Measured by a Portable Photophlethysmograph Equivalent to Standard Laboratory Tests?, Phyllis Bonham, Teresa Kelechi, Martina Mueller and Jacob Robinson report the results of a study comparing the accuracy of toe pressures generated by a registered nurse using portable equipment to toe pressures obtained by a registered vascular technologist using standard laboratory equipment. This latest study from Bonham's group adds to our understanding of the use of portable technology for early detection of lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD), and is a must read for every WOC nurse managing patients with or at risk for leg ulcers.
In this must read PAP article titled The Incontinence-Associated Dermatitis and Its Severity Instrument: Development and Validation, Kathleen Borchert, Donna Bliss, Kay Savik and David Radosevich report on the validation of an instrument that not only accurately describes and measures Incontinence Associated Dermatitis (IAD), but also characterizes its severity. This article has relevance to all practionitioners caring for patients with urinary and fecal incontinence, and clinicians montioring IAD prevalence and incidence in their facilities.
Estimated incidence and prevalence of peristomal skin complications vary widely reflecting inconsistent terminology and lack of a standardized tracking tool. Catherine Ratliff and colleagues in central Virginia report on results of an epidemiologic study in this PAP article titled Early Peristomal Skin Complications Reported by WOC Nurses that measured peristomal skin problems using the taxonomy validated by Colwell and Beitz and previously published in the Journal (Colwell JC, Beitz J. Survey of Wound, Ostomy and Continence (WOC) Nurse Clinicians on Stomal and Peristomal Complications: A Content Validation Study. Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing 2007;34(1):57-69). You will want to read this research report to improve your understanding of the frequency and character of peristomal complications experienced by patients with fecal and urinary ostomies during the first year following stoma creation.
Mikel Gray, PhD, FNP, PNP, CUNP, FAANP, FAAN
Editor-in-Chief