Competency-Based Virtual Clinical Practicum in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic: A Quality Improvement Project.

Purpose: The purpose of the quality improvement (QI) project was to provide a learner and faculty preceptor high quality virtual clinical practicum (VCP) for Wound, Ostomy, Continence (WOC) Nurse learners during the COVID-19 pandemic and disseminate findings.

Participants And Setting: Project participants were registered nurses post-bachelor's degree or higher with a minimum of 1-year clinical experience who had completed and passed the didactic portion of a Wound Ostomy Continence Nursing Education Program (WOCNEP). Learners completing the WOCNEP's VCP and the faculty preceptors were the subjects for this QI report.

Risk and Economic Burden of Peristomal Skin Complications Following Ostomy Surgery.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the incidence and economic burden of peristomal skin complications (PSCs) following ostomy surgery.

Design: Retrospective cohort study based on electronic health records and administrative data stores at a large US integrated healthcare system.

Subjects And Settings: The sample comprised 168 patients who underwent colostomy (ICD-9-CM 46.

Calcinosis Cutis: WOC Nurse Management.

Background: Calcinosis cutis is characterized by deposition of calcium in the dermis and the subcutaneous tissue. This condition may be initially identified by the WOC nurse, and its management requires a team approach. Calcinosis cutis is a debilitating and painful condition; it is difficult to manage, and widely agreed-upon standards for treatment have not been established.

Clinical and Economic Burden of Peristomal Skin Complications in Patients With Recent Ostomies.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to estimate the risk and economic burden of peristomal skin complications (PSCs) in a large integrated healthcare system in the Midwestern United States.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Subjects And Setting: The sample comprised 128 patients; 40% (n = 51) underwent colostomy, 50% (n = 64) underwent ileostomy, and 10% (n = 13) underwent urostomy.

Does Increasing or Decreasing the Daily Intake of Water/Fluid by Adults Affect Overactive Bladder Symptoms?

Background: Modifying fluid intake to decrease overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms, urgency, frequency, and urge urinary incontinence is advocated by health care professionals.

Objective: This Evidence Based Report Card reviews whether increasing or decreasing the daily intake of water and/or fluids by adults decreases their OAB symptoms.

Search Strategy: Three reviewers systematically reviewed the literature for studies that evaluated the association or effect of fluid intake on OAB urinary symptoms in adult men and women.

WOCN Society and ASCRS Position Statement on Preoperative Stoma Site Marking for Patients Undergoing Colostomy or Ileostomy Surgery.

Marking the optimal location for a stoma preoperatively enhances the likelihood of a patient's independence in stoma care, predictable pouching system wear times, and resumption of normal activities. Colon and rectal surgeons and certified ostomy nurses are the optimal clinicians to select and mark stoma sites, as this skill is a part of their education, practice, and training. However, these providers are not always available, particularly in emergency situations.

WOCN Society and AUA Position Statement on Preoperative Stoma Site Marking for Patients Undergoing Urostomy Surgery.

Marking the optimal location for a stoma preoperatively enhances the likelihood of a patient's independence in stoma care, predictable pouching system wear times, and resumption of normal activities. Urologists and certified ostomy nurses are the optimal clinicians to select and mark stoma sites, as this skill is a part of their education, practice, and training. However, these providers are not always available, particularly in emergency situations.

Research study or quality improvement project?

Understanding whether a project is a research study or a QI project is important from both clinical and regulatory perspectives. Both types of activities make useful contributions but have distinct approaches, procedures, and outcomes. Novice researchers or QI participants are encouraged to seek guidance through mentorship with an experienced researcher or a QI project leader.

Critical appraisal of clinical guidelines.

Utilization of clinical guidelines is gaining in popularity due to their significant impact on clinical practice. While a plethora of guidelines exist, many are lacking in quality, based on current critical appraisal standards. It then becomes necessary for the end users of the guidelines to adopt or develop those that are deemed adequate for implementation.

A prospective, randomized, multisite clinical evaluation of a transparent absorbent acrylic dressing and a hydrocolloid dressing in the management of Stage II and shallow Stage III pressure ulcers.

Objective: To compare clinical performance of a transparent absorbent acrylic dressing (3M Tegaderm Absorbent Clear Acrylic Dressing ]TAAD[; 3M Company, St Paul, MN) and a hydrocolloid dressing (HD ]DuoDERM CGF, ConvaTec, ER Squibb & Sons, Princeton, NJ[) in the management of Stage II and shallow Stage III pressure ulcers.

Design: Prospective, open-label, randomized, comparative, multisite clinical evaluation. Patients were followed up for a maximum of 56 days or until their ulcer healed.