Linda J. Keilman, DNP, MSN, GNP-BC, FAANP, Editor-in-Chief
[1]
] What will things be like with COVID-19 at the time of this fifth issue printing and publication? Will the world still be in the pandemic? Will there continue to be emergence of new mutant subvariants impacting public health and the world population? How will advanced practice nursing be different, if at all? It is important for health care professionals to stay current in understanding the pandemic. The American Nurses Association has a robust COVID-19 Resource Center that is regularly updated. You can find information at the following link[Zimmer C., Health experts warily eye XBB.1.5, the latest Omicron subvariant, The New York Times. Matters Column. 2023. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/07/science/covid-omicron-variants-xbb.html. Accessed February 02, 2023.
[2]
]: https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/work-environment/health-safety/disaster-preparedness/coronavirus/what-you-need-to-know/covid-19-vaccines/.Whether we are still in the middle of a pandemic or not, there will always be emerging and transformative health information to read about and apply to quality patient care and the innovation of visionary and equitable health care systems. We are constantly learning and understanding that health and health care in the United States need to drastically change, especially related to systemic/institutional bias and racism, health disparities, and skyrocketing costs. COVID-19 has unearthed many of the issues that we may have suspected in the past but did not quite internalize the depth and detriment of the impact on both people and health systems. Many of us have been inspired “to move from hopeful intention to skilful action.”[
[3]
] As the editor-in-chief of this journal, I hope we are meeting this action through the selection of varied topics we bring to our issues—and you, our readers.We cover some of the most relevant health care topics that are important for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) in this issue. Topics are across three relevant populations: adult/gerontology, women’s health, and pediatrics. Some of the topics include information that has been magnified during the pandemic. Posttraumatic stress disorder, trauma-informed care, human trafficking, food insecurity, genetics, marijuana use by women of childbearing age, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, body image, and mental health issues across the lifespan. We investigate how COVID-19 has specifically impacted older adults and the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents. Some authors share new insight and suggestions for diagnosing and managing chronic conditions, such as mild cognitive impairment, heart failure, urinary incontinence, uterine and bladder prolapse, peripheral artery disease, and female sexual dysfunction. In pediatrics, we learn more about how sleep impacts growth and development, how to assess for the source of fever, how to teach parents and children to manage childhood asthma, and autonomic dysfunction. Many words with many meanings!
I hope you will learn from reading and engaging in the information presented here for you. We know that reading, learning, and then applying evidence lead to improved quality of life for our patients and improved health care outcomes. We also know that education is a lifelong journey that we bring to the care of our patients on a regular basis. As APRNs, we are advocating for our patients, ourselves, and the betterment of health care systems. I hope you will learn and grow in your knowledge and care for all human beings.
For he who has health has hope; and he who has hope, has everything.—Arabian Proverb
References
Zimmer C., Health experts warily eye XBB.1.5, the latest Omicron subvariant, The New York Times. Matters Column. 2023. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/07/science/covid-omicron-variants-xbb.html. Accessed February 02, 2023.
- COVID-19 vaccines. COVID-19 Resource Center. Published January 12, 2023.(Available at:) (Accessed January 14, 2023)
- Erasing institutional bias: how to create systemic change for organizational inclusion.Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc, Oakland, CA2018
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© 2023 Published by Elsevier Inc.
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