Volume 44 Number 2

There are many gifted individuals in the world; past and present. To be ‘gifted’ is to be acknowledged as having special talents often supported on a background of vast knowledge of a subject gained through learning or practical experience. Giving is seen as a voluntary act of some kind that benefits others without the expectation of formal compensation or reward.

There are two Vales to former colleagues, Pam Morey NP and Prof Greg Schultz, that encapsulate the essence of being gifted and giving within their respective professions as a nurse and doctor and within their specialty fields of practice in relation to wound and ostomy care and obstetrics, gynaecology, bioengineering and wound research. Both Pam and Greg as enunciated within the Vales were exceedingly generous in sharing their expertise clinically, through educational forums globally and publications to enhance patient outcomes. Pam, as a valued reviewer for the WCET^® Journal, imparted her knowledge to novice and experienced authors alike with wisdom and grace. Greg’s enduring legacy for many generations to come are his extensive list of publications and repository of knowledge within. We thank you, Pam and Greg, for your gifts, for your compassion and for the privilege of knowing you. To Prof Keryln Carville, Dr Elizabeth Ayello and Prof Gary Sibbald, thank you for sharing your reflections of Pam and Greg and some of their career highlights.

Within the President and President Elects message is further recognition of those who have contributed immensely to the fields of wound, ostomy and continence nursing and as a result a number of individuals will be inducted as Fellows of the Wound Ostomy and Continence Nurse Society. On behalf of the Editorial Board our congratulations are extended to all inductees.

In addition, the Editorial Board also add our congratulations to Denise Hibbert for her award as an Honorary Fellow of the American Society of Colorectal Surgeons.

Cusack et al who used a retrospective matched case-control study of 99 patients to identify risk factors for post-operative parastomal hernias have given us new insights into those risk factors positively correlated with parastomal hernia development. Their results will give surgeons and Stomal Therapy Nurses guidance on preoperative and postoperative factors to be discussed with ostomy patients to mitigate risks for parastomal hernias.

Recognising and treating Atopic Dermatitis (AD) whether in children or adults can be challenging. In their article, Atopic Dermatitis: clinical aspects and treatment, Geng and Sibbald share their collective knowledge and expertise on the multifactorial pathogenesis of AD. Risk factors, essential, major and minor features of AD along with severity scoring systems and topical and systemic treatment options are described. In particular, practical advice on how to stop the cyclic ‘itch-scratch-itch’ cycle that plagues patients with AD.

Pagan gifts us with insight into health inequities in Maori and Pasifika peoples arising from historical and current issues of cultural diversity and associated cultural nuances in relation to healthcare, plus the need for greater awareness of cultural safety in healthcare. Further, Pagan discuses a framework for integrating the principles of cultural safety into wound management practices within a community setting in Aotearoa (New Zealand) to improve provision of culturally appropriate wound management services.

There are many ways to ‘give back’ or ‘pay forward’ for support you have received during your career. One of these ways is to share your clinical, educational or research experiences through publication. As we are nearing the WCET^®-ASCN Joint Congress this September 2024, I thought it timely to advise that Greg Paull, our WCET^® Journal Publisher, and I will be presenting a Journal Workshop. The intent of the workshop is to encourage people to publish; to share their expertise or experiences whether clinical, educational, research-based or administrative. The workshop will guide participants through the process of structuring a case study article in accordance with author guidelines. The content also being relevant for original research, literature reviews, book reviews and other article formats accepted for publication in the WCET^® Journal. We look forward to seeing some of you at the workshop.

With kind regards

Jenny

Author(s)

Jenny Prentice
PhD BN RN STN FAWMA