Volume 44 Number 4

The strength of any organisation or association whether professional, sporting or communal lies within its membership and the contribution of the membership to the wellbeing and sustainability of the group. As indicated within the message from our President and President Elect, the attendance of over 1000 people at the 2024 WCET^®/ASCN-UK joint congress is a clear indication of the strength and importance of the WCET^® and affiliated like organisations and the regard in which they are held.

It is with sadness we acknowledge the passing of a lifelong supporter of WCET, Sally J Gill Thompson; and with her the end of another chapter in the life of the world of WCET^®. Sally’s commitment to continuing the legacy of her mother, the late Norma N Gill, in promoting the role of ET Nurses and supporting the work of WCET is unquestionable. In addition, as an ET herself Sally provided direct clinical care with empathy to people with stomas. Dr Elizabeth Ayello and Laurent Chabal in their Vale to Sally provide us with a warm insight into Sally’s productive life.

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) can be challenging recalcitrant ulcers to heal. Wound healing and limb salvage are of prime importance^1,2. Smart and Cronje and Brandao et al each address a different aspect of managing DFUs. Smart and Cronje, within their case study, describe the management of bilateral plantar thermal burn wounds sustained from walking on hot sand four days post injury in a person with diabetes. An interprofessional approach and conservative management strategies inclusive of wound debridement, intravenous systemic antibiotics, pain management and hyperbaric oxygen therapy as an adjunctive therapy to stabilise the burn wounds and facilitate wound healing are outlined.

The validity of clinical research, ensuing findings and resultant recommendations for either clinical care or further research are dependent on the robustness of research methodologies and statistical analyses used. Advancement in the development of research protocols and clinical trial registers has assisted in addressing some of the common issues found in clinical research such as lack of methodological data, bias and inability to replicate research studies³. Brandao and colleagues have shared their protocol for conducting a randomised controlled trial on antimicrobial photodynamic therapy in the treatment of foot ulcers in people with diabetes mellitus with a view to increasing transparency, reproducibility and improved understanding of the clinical utility of photodynamic therapy in the treatment of DFUs.

Chirco et al in their article, The incidence of stomal and peristomal complications: preliminary results three months after stoma creation, describe how they have used repeated measures over a 3-month period in their prospective longitudinal observational study aimed at clarifying the incidence and type of stomal and peristomal complications and verifying independent risk factors associated with these complications. They conclude that complications most commonly occur in the immediate post-operative period and are statistically correlated with the presence of general preoperative comorbidities. Further, they recommend the follow-up period be extended.

Within are the first batch of selected abstracts from the 2024 WCET^® joint congress. The abstracts once again illustrate the diversity, depth and tri specialty of ET nursing. This is further reflected in the Index of Articles and the range of topics discussed over the past year.

On behalf of the Editorial Board, I would like to thank all authors, reviewers,  Sustaining Journal Partners, Cambridge Media and Dr Emily Haesler for their contribution in advancing knowledge and clinical practice in the realm of wound ostomy and continence nursing through the year.

There is no doubt that the legacy of Norma N Gill and Sally J Gill Thompson and their enduring commitment to enhancing the quality of life of those with stomas, wounds or continence issues lives on through the WCET^® as an organisation, its members, programs and partners.

May you all have a safe and peaceful Festive Season.

With kind regards

Jenny

Author(s)

Jenny Prentice
PhD BN RN STN FAWMA

References

1. Wounds UK (2021) Best Practice Statement: Care of the person with diabetes and lower limb ulcers. Wounds UK, London
2. Schmidt BM, Munson ME, Rothenberg GM, Holmes CM, Pop-Busui R. Strategies to reduce severe diabetic foot infections and complications during epidemics (STRIDE). J Diabetes Complications. 2020; 34 (11):107691. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdiacomp.2020.107691 PMID: 32883566
3. Parker CN et al. Methods for chronic wound research — A scoping systematic review of the recommendations, guidelines and standards. WP&R Journal 2019; 27(2):62-73. DOI https://doi.org/10.33235/wpr.27.2.62-73