Resources

Welcome to 2025 and another exciting year for the Journal of Community Nursing. Over the coming year, as we do each year, we will keep you up to date with the latest information and current themes. We aim to support your education and development with our many learning resources, including journal articles, interactive education, product features and our JCN events. Remember — we are here for you, so please utilise all our online resources.

It’s that time again. A new government full of optimism and a freshly minted prime minister
bursting with new ideas, the honeymoon period yet to slip into acrimony and divorce.

Few sectors look set to benefit so completely from incoming technological advances than the healthcare sector. Developments and innovations in dermatology are the subject of a new programme, The Future of Dermatology: Spotlight on Skin, produced by ITN Business and the British Skin Foundation, which premiered in January this year. Among the different conditions highlighted is lipoedema, a condition that affects millions of women worldwide.

Currently, there are more than eight million people in the UK living with moderate to severely disabling pain and approximately 43% of adults, equating to almost 28 million
people, experiencing some form of chronic pain. It was recently reported by the Health Foundation thinktank that the ‘number of people with chronic pain in England [is set] to rise by 1.9m by 2040’ (Health Foundation, 2023).

Wound malodour is a distressing symptom that significantly impacts the quality of life of patients and their caregivers, often leading to anxiety, stress, and social isolation. This review explores the multifaceted aspects of malodour management, highlighting its causes, assessment challenges, and potential interventions. A holistic, patient-centred approach is critical, ensuring regular reassessment of the wound and addressing concerns such as pain, poor sleep, anxiety, and depression. By incorporating evidencebased  strategies and open communication, healthcare professionals can improve the overall wellbeing of patients and their caregivers.

Despite advances in wound care, treatment of lower limb ulceration remains suboptimal, with poor outcomes often attributed to inadequate diagnosis, failure to follow evidence-based practice, and variations in care delivery. These shortcomings result in delayed healing, reduced quality of life (QoL), and a significant economic burden on healthcare systems. Compression therapy is the recommended treatment for venous ulcers and ulcers with mixed aetiology, however there are some individuals who may not respond to compression alone or who are unsuitable due to arterial status. Recent advances in adjunctive therapies, such as the geko^® device, offer promising results for these patients. This muscle pump activation (MPA) device activates the calf and foot muscle pumps,
increasing venous, arterial and microvascular blood flow. This article examines the impact of leg ulceration on healthcare services and patient outcomes, while exploring the potential of the geko^® device to improve healing rates and reduce associated costs.

Acroangiodermatitis (AAD), or Pseudo-Kaposi sarcoma (PKS), is a rare, benign skin condition, which can be seen by community nurses or in lymphoedema clinics, as it occurs in patients with lower limb oedema, chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), varicose vein removal, paralysis, congenital arteriovenous malformations (such as Klippel-Trenaunay and Parkes-Weber syndromes), or iatrogenic malformations caused by renal dialysis shunts or prosthetic suction limbs. AAD should be diagnosed by biopsy and differentiated from Kaposi sarcoma (KS), a rare malignancy with a similar presentation,
which is possible through histological differences. However, as said, the two conditions do present similarly, especially in the case of homosexual/bisexual men or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive patients, as even with restored immune systems and an undetectable viral load, they are 30 times more likely to contract KS, which is malignant, than the general population. This article presents a clinical case, which is contrasted with past international case studies to portray a collective overview of AAD/PKS, and how to manage it effectively from the sparse literature available.

Cavity wounds present unique challenges in both assessment and management due to their complex anatomy and potential for complications such as tunnelling, undermining, and infection. Accurate documentation and thorough evaluation are critical for monitoring wound progression and guiding appropriate interventions. This article explores best practices for assessing and managing cavity wounds. Strategies for managing these wounds are discussed, emphasising the importance of maintaining a moist wound environment, preventing infection, and promoting granulation tissue formation. Multidisciplinary approaches, evidence-based techniques, and patient-centred care are highlighted as essential components in achieving optimal outcomes for patients with cavity wounds.

This article, the first in a two-part series, introduces and discusses the importance of movement and gait on the lower extremity in relation to chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) and chronic oedema (CO). It outlines and highlights the importance of the venous and lymphatic systems and their influence on how fluid is moved from the periphery into the trunk. The article introduces and explores the role of important anatomical systems like the veno-muscular pumps within the lower extremity, and how underlying  musculoskeletal (MSK) issues that affect movement and walking can influence
the onset, chronicity, and severity of CVI and CO. It also touches on how fluid is moved from the lower extremity into the trunk. Finally, the importance of compression and its benefits are explained through key scientific principles and the vital role that it plays in
fluid movement from the periphery into the trunk. The second part of the series will focus on how movement, orthotics and footwear can complement compression and their role in reducing peripheral oedema, improving gait and managing pain in the foot and ankle.

an abnormal build-up of fat and connective tissue in the legs, thighs, buttocks, and sometimes the arms (Wounds UK, 2017). Due to lack of understanding and no definitive diagnostic test, the condition is often confused with conditions such as lymphoedema or obesity (Child et al, 2010). This paper presents the findings of two surveys — a patient and healthcare professional one — undertaken by Daylong Direct in association with Lipoedema UK and this journal. The former explored the multifaceted challenges faced by individuals
living with lipoedema, including diagnostic delays, treatment gaps, emotional impact, and unmet healthcare needs, while the latter captured data on healthcare professionals’ awareness and knowledge of lipoedema and treatments available, highlighting the need for more education to improve patient care. The survey results provide valuable insights for improving clinical practice and patient support.