OBJECTIVE: To discuss the concept, assessment tools, influencing factors, and intervention measures of stoma disgust. DATA SOURCES: Publications on stoma disgust in colorectal cancer patients with enterostomy were retrieved, summarized, and evaluated by a team of investigators and clinical experts. STUDY SELECTION: Full-text articles written in English and the Chinese language, and studying stoma disgust in colorectal cancer patients with enterostomy. DATA EXTRACTION: The research topic includes the concept, assessment tools, influencing factors, and intervention measures of stoma disgust. DATA SYNTHESIS: This study reviews the concept, assessment tools, influencing factors, and intervention measures of stoma disgust. The level of disgust in stoma patients is influenced by gender, age, stoma type, preoperative education, length of hospital stay, self-efficacy, social support, and cultural and religious beliefs. Psychotherapy, improving patient self-efficacy, and social support can effectively reduce stoma disgust levels. CONCLUSIONS: Stoma disgust is a common emotional problem faced by colorectal cancer patients with an enterostomy. Future research could develop comprehensive measurement tools for stoma disgust, and future qualitative research could delve deeper into the influencing factors of stoma disgust and implement targeted, multidimensional clinical interventions to reduce stoma disgust.
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to identify latent profiles of disability acceptance and their influencing factors among patients with diabetic foot amputation. METHODS: Data were collected in a tertiary hospital, with a convenience sample of 312 patients. Data on general information, disability acceptance, medical coping modes, social support, self-care ability, and depression status were collected through questionnaires. RESULTS: Latent profile analysis revealed 3 distinct profiles of disability acceptance among patients with diabetic foot amputations: “low acceptance-limited inclusion type” (34.62%), “medium acceptance-disability gradually adaptive type” (38.78%), and “high acceptance-value expansion and transcendence type” (26.60%). Influencing factors included employment status, cultural literacy, average monthly household income, social support, medical coping modes, and depression. CONCLUSIONS: Health care professionals should implement individualized interventions according to the different acceptance types of patients to enhance their acceptance.
Chronic wounds remain a significant clinical challenge despite advances in dressings, biologics, and adjunctive therapies. Patients referred to advanced wound centers following unsuccessful treatment often demonstrate recurring and potentially correctable factors that contribute to delayed healing. Drawing upon observations from a quaternary referral wound center, this article focuses on recurring and potentially correctable factors encountered during evaluation of wounds that have failed to progress despite prior care. Although these patterns are neither novel nor unexpected, they continue to recur despite well-established wound care principles and treatment guidelines. This article highlights common pitfalls identified in patients referred for advanced wound care evaluation. Commonly encountered issues include inadequate implementation of compression therapy and lower extremity elevation, ineffective offloading in diabetic foot ulcers, limited attention to patient adherence and behavioral factors, and incomplete evaluation of underlying contributors to wound chronicity. Additional patterns include continued use of outdated or nonevidence-based topical agents, misapplication of debridement principles (particularly removal of stable eschar), and incomplete evaluation of underlying pathophysiology such as vascular insufficiency. Patients are frequently referred after undergoing advanced interventions, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy and grafting procedures, before optimization of fundamental wound care principles. In these settings, suboptimal patient selection and sequencing of therapy, particularly in the presence of uncontrolled edema or inadequate offloading, may contribute to prolonged treatment without clinical benefit. These observations highlight recurring gaps between recommended care and real-world execution. Recognition of these recurring pitfalls may improve wound healing outcomes, promote more effective use of advanced therapies, and reduce the need for escalation of care.
Follicular occlusion disorders (FOD) represent a tetrad of chronic, recurrent inflammatory conditions united by a common pathophysiologic mechanism: follicular hyperkeratosis leading to occlusion, rupture, and subsequent abscess or sinus tract formation. First conceptualized as a triad in the 1950s and later expanded to a tetrad in the 1970s, this grouping includes hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), acne conglobata (AC), dissecting cellulitis of the scalp (DCS), and pilonidal sinus (PS). Despite their shared pathogenesis, each condition carries distinct clinical features, epidemiological profiles, and management considerations. This article aims to provide a comprehensive review of FOD, with a primary emphasis on HS (the most prevalent of the disorders). Hidradenitis suppurativa is a debilitating disease affecting similar to 1% of the global population, predominantly in females, and the diagnosis is often delayed by 7 or more years. Multiple genes are linked to FOD patients with a positive familial history in 35% to 40%, along with lifestyle factors (smoking, alcohol consumption, and obesity). Key inflammatory mediators, including TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, and IL-17, drive the chronic tissue destruction characteristic of FOD, frequently resulting in scarring, lymphedema, and significant psychosocial impairment. Wound care is critical and often underemphasized in disease management. This article outlines evidence-informed wound care strategies for both nonsurgical and postsurgical presentations, including dressing selection, exudate and odor management, pain and itch control, infection management, and the emerging role of intravenous ertapenem as rescue therapy. An interprofessional approach, integrating dermatology, surgery, wound care nursing, and psychosocial support, is emphasized throughout as essential to improving patient outcomes and quality of life.GENERAL PURPOSE: To increase clinicians' understanding of follicular occlusion disorders including the associated risk factors, clinical manifestations, and evidence-based approaches for management.TARGET AUDIENCE: This continuing education activity is intended for physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and registered nurses with an interest in skin and wound care.LEARNING OBJECTIVES/OUTCOMES: After participating in this educational activity, the participant will:
OBJECTIVE: Maintaining skin integrity is a critical nursing responsibility, yet skin tears remain one of the most underrecognized wounds in clinical practice. This study aimed to assess senior nursing students’ knowledge regarding skin tears and to identify educational and experiential factors influencing their competence and perceived preparedness. METHODS: This multicenter cross-sectional descriptive design study was conducted with 610 senior nursing students from 4 universities. Data were collected using the Student Information Form and a validated version of the Skin Tear Knowledge Assessment Instrument. Descriptive and inferential statistics examined associations between knowledge scores and demographic or educational characteristics. RESULTS: Students demonstrated a moderate overall level of knowledge regarding skin tears (mean score = 8.62 ± 2.74; standardized = 50.7%). The highest scores were observed in classification and observation, and the lowest in treatment and etiology. Female students, those who had taken elective wound care courses, and those with clinical exposure to skin tear cases scored significantly higher ( P < .05). Only 7% of students considered their knowledge sufficient, whereas 81% expressed a desire for further training. CONCLUSIONS: Senior nursing students demonstrated significant gaps in their understanding of skin tear etiology, prevention, and treatment, highlighting unmet educational needs in undergraduate nursing programs. Addressing these gaps through structured, competency-based strategies—such as simulation-based wound care training, International Skin Tear Advisory Panel-guided instruction, and supervised clinical experiences—may improve students’ clinical reasoning and readiness for evidence-based practice. Strengthening educational exposure to skin tear management has the potential to enhance early recognition and prevention in clinical settings, ultimately contributing to improved patient outcomes.
