Broadening Our Bandwidth: A Multiple Case Report of Expanded Use of Telehealth Technology to Perform Wound Consultations During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: Managing patients during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and the associated severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in particular, required the nimble responsiveness for which WOC nurses are known. Problem-solving skills were needed to continue the level of WOC nursing services expected by patients, families, and professional colleagues, while reducing the hours we were physically present at our clinical facility. In order to respond to these demands, our team realized it must create an innovative approach to provide efficient, cost-effective consultations during this global crisis.

Cocaine Use and Levamisole-Induced Vasculitis: A Multiple Case Study.

Background: Levamisole is an immunomodulatory medication previously used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and some types of cancers; it was banned for use in humans in 2000 owing to its harmful side effects. Use of levamisole-laced cocaine is associated with a life-threatening syndrome characterized by a necrotizing purpuric rash leading to tissue destruction and necrotic wounds. This Clinical Challenges article summarizes our experience with the care of 2 adult women diagnosed with levamisole-related vasculitis.

Pressure Ulcers: Factors Contributing to Their Development in the OR.

The prevention of health care-associated pressure ulcers (HAPUs) is an important quality measure because HAPUs are considered a never event. The literature suggests that the prevalence rate of pressure ulcers is 8.5% or higher among patients who undergo surgical procedures that last longer than three hours.

Telemedicine in a rural community hospital for remote wound care consultations.

Background: We found that the number of patients requiring wound care consultation was increasing but the distance from our rural campus to the main campus acted as a barrier for timely consultations. Therefore, we implanted a telemedicine program, based on technology manufactured by VISICU (Baltimore, MD) used by intensive care and step-down unit patients in our health system.

Process: A wound consultation was performed with one certified WOC nurse in the remote facility and another certified WOC nurse at the patient's bedside to establish method reliability.