Editorial Resources

Welcome to our June/July issue, although as I am writing I am wondering just how we have arrived at June already! As always, there are lots of informative and interesting features, all of which we hope will support your learning and practice, leading to enhanced patient care. The ‘Community matters’ piece focuses on the delays our patients are encountering for dermatological services. Please take some time to read this article, which will give you an oversight into why the delays exist and the potential physical and mental effects these are causing. With the summer months upon us, it is particularly relevant that skin cancer is a focus — information is given around the rising rates and possible reasons for this. The feature discusses a variety of skin conditions and offers strategies and advice to support your patients — an interesting and informative read.

The ‘community matters’ feature in this issue is definitely worth taking time to read (pp. 8–12). It discusses student nurses and the value that each and every one of them brings to our practice and workplace. I am sure we have all felt an additional pressure to the ever increasing demands on our time and workload when we are allocated a student nurse to assess or supervise. There is no doubt about it — students can be challenging, but this is positive for us as well as our patients and workplaces. We are all continually learning and students are receiving knowledge based on the latest available evidence, which can support our own development. Their questions are a catalyst for reflection on our own practice and can instigate change, thus enhancing patient care. Remember — we have all been a student at some point in our careers and without the support, guidance and experiences we had, we would not be where we are today.

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.

Welcome to the final issue of the Journal of Community Nursing for 2024. How quickly has this year gone? As always, please take some time to reflect on all your achievements this year, as well as anything that hasn’t gone too well. Reflection is an excellent tool for learning and is something that many of us do constantly as it really does support our ongoing development. Take some time to make plans for 2025 and aim to achieve those goals.

Caring for patients with wounds is part and parcel of daily community caseloads. With an ageing population and more complex community cases, frailty is inevitably becoming more of an issue. This should never be considered in isolation, but rather as part of a wider picture interrelating with other agerelated factors, such as ageing skin, increased susceptibility to skin tears, and other underlying health conditions that may complicate  wound healing.

T his issue’s ‘Community matters’ piece discusses the subject of artificial intelligence (AI) and is a ‘must read’. Technology is advancing at such a pace so we cannot ignore
it and need to find ways to embrace the benefits it brings. This article demonstrates how AI is used in our everyday lives, and to be honest it was a surprise to me just how much we
do use it! Examples are given of some uses within healthcare and nursing environments and possible future innovations explored. It is definitely thought provoking, and this feature is clear and explicit, helping us to understand how AI currently supports us and how it could do in the future.

As usual, there is an abundance of learning, information and differing points of view in our latest issue of the journal, so lots of reading for everyone — hopefully while sitting outside in the warmer weather! Our ‘Community matters’ piece explores the need for open and honest discussions in relation to death and dying.

This month we have an extremely interesting and thought provoking 'Community matters' piece. Please take some of your precious time to read and digest.

A lthough we are all both constantly and consistently busy all day every day, I am sure you will agree that at this time of year demand on services escalates even further and the challenges we face increase even more. How can this be possible we ask, but each year it is!

s we are nearing the end of 2023, could I please take this opportunity to wish everyone
the very best for 2024. I cannot believe how quickly this year has passed — each year seems to go more quickly than the last. Before we leave 2023 and move into the new year, I would like you all to take some time to reflect on everything you have done this year — the many patients you have seen, the improvements you have made to care and your services, the challenges you may have encountered, the ‘thank you’ messages you have received and the enhancements you have made to so many people’s lives. It is always beneficial to reflect, as all too often we continue in our everyday work without having time to really think about everything we have achieved and the very real difference we have made. Please celebrate your work — you are appreciated so much.