Neutrogena Gives Back to Families in Need Did you know that one bad sunburn in childhood can double a person’s odds of getting skin cancer later in life? Or that only one out of five people routinely wear sunscreen? Daily sun protection helps prevent skin cancer, but sunscreen is not something that everyone can afford. That’s why for every Neutrogena sunscreen purchased during Skin Cancer Awareness Month in May, Neutrogena donated one to a family in need. As part of its Choose Skin Health program, Neutrogena’s Buy 1 + Donate 1 campaign has given away 5 million dollars worth of sunscreen to Direct Relief and Heart to Heart charities. Choose Skin Health was developed to empower consumers to follow “sun safe” behaviors to help protect people from the type of sun exposure that can increase skin cancer risks. To view a video about the Buy 1 + Donate 1 program, visit www.youtube.com/NeutrogenaVideos. Also, be sure to visit www.neutrogena.com to learn more about how to protect you, your family and patients from the sun’s harmful rays. Continuing Skin Health Education with the Dermatology Nurses’ Association Calling all nurses – separate UV fact from fiction with this educational CE course! The Dermatology Nurses’ Association (DNA) is offering a course on the topics of vitamin D and sunscreen called “The Facts and Fiction about Vitamin D, Sunscreen and Our Health.” The course includes a PowerPoint presentation accompanied by audio of Maryellen Maguire-Elsen, MSN, RN, as presented at the 2011 Annual DNA Convention in San Diego. This course will cover the chemistry of sunscreen as well as current discussion regarding its use. At the end of the presentation, participants can complete an exam on the topics presented for 1 credit hour towards dermatology nurse certification. The course costs $15 for DNA members and $25 for non-members. To learn more or register for the CE course, visit www.dnanurse.org. Coming Soon – OSU College of Nursing’s Nurse Athlete Program This fall, Ohio State University (OSU) College of Nursing will launch its Nurse Athlete program, a two-day workshop designed to assist nurses and healthcare professionals in achieving high levels of wellness, energy and performance. Offered in partnership with the Human Performance Institute Division of Wellness & Prevention, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company (HPI), the Nurse Athlete program focuses on energy management training to help healthcare professionals achieve peak performance and maintain energy over a sustained period of time, even in the face of non-stop stress. Participants learn how engaging in frequent exercise, healthy meals and brief respites during the day can help maintain focus and create more productivity. OSU College of Nursing offers two and two-and-a-half day versions of the workshop and can even bring the workshop to your institution! For more information, visit www.healthathlete.org or email healthathlete@osu.edu. Nursing Summer Camps This summer, adolescents from across the country have been participating in nursing summer camps to get a first-hand, behind-the-scenes look at the nursing profession. Summer camps are a great way for youth to find out if nursing might be a good career fit and have a lot of fun in the process! In June, aside from a week of fun and new friends, high school sophomores and juniors participated in a free, week-long day camp at the University of Washington School of Nursing in Seattle, where they shadowed nurses, received CPR certification and learned all about what it takes to attend nursing school. The 2012 camp focused on increasing opportunities in nursing to minority and low-income students. For more information about the University of Washington Nurse Camp, visit www.nursing.uw.edu. Another educational nursing camp is currently being hosted by the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing in Philadelphia, which offers high school students a comprehensive glimpse into one of the nation’s top-rated nursing schools. At Penn Nursing Camp, students are encouraged to explore the campus to get a full sense of student-life at the University of Pennsylvania while getting hands-on experience everywhere from the ER to the NICU. This camp is an intense month-long adventure that seeks the best and brightest in aspiring nurses. For more information about the Penn Nursing Camp, visit www.jkcp.com. In April, the Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing’s Future launched its Twitter page, and so far the conversation has been both fun and productive! To join the conversation, follow us @JNJNursingNotes for tweets about the Campaign’s initiatives, nursing resources and other nursing-related updates. Also, be sure to follow announcements and news surrounding the Amazing Nurses Contest via the Twitter hashtag #AmazingNurses. Here, we will feature monthly updates on what our followers are saying on Twitter: @TonyatAlstin: @JNJNursingNotes It's so worth spreading the word about this! #AmazingNurses @CleverHousewife: @JNJNursingNotes Thanks so much! <3 Nurses! @RNCentral: You only have a week left to nominate an amazing nurse to be featured on @CNNHeroes and @JNJNursingNotes! bit.ly/NhNT8c @OR_CTR_NRS: "Are You Man Enough to Be A Nurse?" Men in Nursing is the newest @JNJNursingNotes topic: bit.ly/LRSCxl pic.twitter.com/B37bbtPO The August issue of Nursing Notes will be the “Back to School” issue and feature articles on school nurses.

Dermatology Nurses Can Play Critical Role in Making Patients SunAWARE

Nurses are in a unique position to educate patients about skin cancer prevention and early detection.

July is UV Safety Month, and it is more important than ever to recognize the need to stay safe under the sun. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, and the number of new cases diagnosed each year in the U.S. surpasses breast, prostate, lung and colon cancers combined. In 2010 alone, 3.5 million non-melanoma cancers were diagnosed – more than double the 1.1 million reported in 2006. What some people may find troubling about these numbers, however, is that most of these diagnoses could have been easily prevented with proper protection from sun exposure.

“Nurses play a very important role in educating patients on how to stay protected while enjoying the sun,” said Trudy Adamson, MSN, RN, DNC, Nursing Specialist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. “We are very involved in primary, secondary and tertiary prevention by educating our communities about how to avoid risk factors for developing skin cancer. That includes everything from educating children about the importance of safe sun practices to informing the elderly on how to avoid cancer recurrences.”

Adamson isn’t alone in stressing the importance of preventative education. The Dermatology Nurses’ Association (DNA) recommends that nurses incorporate UV safety education into regular patient interactions, as well as activities for the public-at-large. Nurses, who are often viewed favorably as educators by the public, are in a unique position to teach others about the dangers of cumulative UV exposure, signs of skin cancer and about the most effective preventative measures.

In order to tackle some of the challenges relating to skin cancer, Mary Mills Barrow, co-author of the award-winning book Sun Protection For Life: Your Guide to a Lifetime of Healthy and Beautiful Skin, created the non-profit organization SunAWARE to promote prevention and early detection. SunAWARE is endorsed by many leading not-for-profit organizations in the skin cancer community including the DNA, which endorsed and adopted the program in 2007. SunAWARE provides educational materials that can be useful to dermatology nurses in many situations.

SunAWARE is based on an acronym constructed by Barrow in 2005. AWARE instructs people to Avoid unprotected exposure at any time, Wear sun-protective clothing, Apply strong sunscreen before exposure, Routinely check for skin changes and Educate others about the need for sun protection. “I have used SunAWARE many times in educating my patients,” said Adamson. “The program also has wonderful age-appropriate materials that make it easy to teach children about skin cancer prevention.”

Education is certainly an important step in preventing skin cancer. However, since most skin cancers – including melanoma – are curable if detected early, it is also important that nurses take steps to spot skin cancer as quickly as possible. The DNA recommends that nurses incorporate skin assessment into the overall health examination of their patients. Furthermore, according to the DNA, skin cancer screening is within the dermatology nurse’s scope as long as he/she is under the direction of a physician.

To learn more about SunAWARE, visit www.sunaware.org.

Dermatology Nursing: Specialized Skin Care

Dermatology nursing offers fulfilling opportunities in a variety of settings.

Dermatology is a large and diverse medical specialty that focuses on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of skin disorders. Dermatology nurses work as specialists in the field, educating and helping patients to manage skin conditions, ailments and diseases. These conditions can include psoriasis, cosmetic issues, acne, allergies, skin infections and more severe health problems like skin cancer. Nurses in this field also play an important role in wound and postoperative care.

“Dermatology is a very dynamic field and has shifted over time to more of a continuum as far as nursing roles are concerned. With all of the sub-specialties within dermatology, there are so many different avenues a nurse can take within the field,” said Heather Jones, RN, MN, FNP in the Department of Dermatology at the Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, Ore., Board Director of the National Dermatology Nurses’ Association (DNA) and President of the Northwest Oregon DNA.

Nurses who specialize in dermatology can work in a variety of settings, including a hospital, private physician’s office, burn center, clinic or health center. Additionally, many dermatology nurse practitioners even run their own clinics, where responsibilities can include removal of warts or tattoos, assessing and treating leg ulcers, running ultra-violet treatments or handling laser procedures.

Dermatology nurses often work closely with dermatology practitioners to devise treatment plans for patients seeking medical treatment for skin conditions. Treatment plans typically include education, examination, diagnostic screenings and administration of prescription medication. A dermatology nurse may also help dermatologists perform surgical and non-surgical procedures, including skin biopsies and chemical peels.

“No matter what path a dermatology nurse decides to pursue, treatment of the skin issue and/or disease is priority,” said Jones. “Dermatology nurses have an important role in ensuring positive patient outcomes, and meeting that goal is very gratifying.”

As the field of dermatology continues to grow, the need for dermatology nurses is predicted to increase dramatically. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects nursing jobs in private physicians’ offices to grow about 39 percent through the year 2016. This news is promising for dermatology nurses, as many work in the offices of dermatologists.

For student nurses interested in dermatology nursing, Jones recommends seeking an opportunity to do a rotation specifically in dermatology. “Ask a local dermatology practice if there is an opportunity to follow a dermatology nurse for a week or two. Most practices, especially academic settings, will welcome anyone who wants to follow them and learn about the specialty,” said Jones.

Dermatology nurses can obtain certification by passing a professional examination offered by the Dermatology Nursing Certification Board (DNCB). To become a certified dermatology nurse, the DNCB requires candidates to have a minimum of two years and 2,000 hours of work experience in dermatology nursing and possess current and unrestricted license as a registered nurse.

For more information about the DNA, visit www.dnanurse.org. For more information about the dermatology nursing specialty, visit www.discovernursing.com.

Get to Know:
Sue A. McCann, MSN, RN, DNC, Photopheresis/CTCL Research Coordinator for the Department of Dermatology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pittsburgh, Penn.

Q. When did you decide to pursue a career in nursing and why?

A. I was inspired to become a nurse when I was a Girl Scout at 12 years old. We were working on our first aid badge and our troop leader was my “patient.” She said to me, “You will make a good nurse because you have a very gentle but sure touch.” Her remark made such an impression on me that I began to think about nursing as a career. I eventually joined the Future Nurses of America Club in high school which further solidified my desire to help people by becoming a nurse. I’ve always enjoyed the sciences, and I felt that a nursing career would enhance that interest. I have definitely not been disappointed!

Q. What inspired you to work in dermatology nursing?

A. I was in the right place at the right time to capitalize on an opportunity to work in dermatology nursing. More than two decades ago, two new nursing positions were created following the recruitment of a new Chairman in Dermatology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, who specialized in cutaneous t-cell lymphoma (CTCL). He initiated a new treatment program for two subsets of CTCL and I applied for one of the two positions to be the bedside nurse performing this three hour one-on-one procedure for patients afflicted with CTCL.

My previous experience in the emergency department and expertise in IV insertion are part of the skill set that helped me to get that job. But the “touch” that got me started in nursing was the most valuable skill I had when it came to working with patients with devastating symptoms that primarily involved the skin – these patients can experience unremitting pruritus, extensive exfoliation and erythema, erosions, fissuring, and skin plaques or tumors. Over time, my position has evolved into a clinical research coordinator for patients diagnosed with CTCL.

Q. What have you enjoyed most about your profession?

A. I have found nursing to be one of the most flexible career choices available. During my nursing career, in addition to dermatology, I have worked in several specialty areas including orthopaedics, medical-surgical, emergency department, radiology and clinical research coordination. Early in my career, I even worked as a nursing program director for a children’s Community Living Arrangements program, which provided me with invaluable experience in program development and management. I absolutely love the opportunity I have every day to make someone’s life a little better – to help make patients more comfortable, relaxed and perhaps more hopeful.

Q. What advice would you offer to nursing students interested in working in dermatology?

A. Most nursing positions in dermatology are in the outpatient setting, so if you are interested in outpatient nursing, dermatology is a unique career choice with many opportunities to specialize. More and more emphasis is being placed on the health of a person’s skin so the opportunities for patient and public education and the impact of good nursing care on the health of the skin are limitless. The Dermatology Nurses’ Association offers excellent educational and networking resources for becoming involved in the field of dermatology nursing. National and regional conferences and online education offer great exposure into the field.