Outpatient WOCN Specialist-OPC

Outpatient WOCN Clinical Specialist

The Outpatient WOCN Clinical Specialist will be responsible for establishing standards of care and clinical competencies to meet outpatient needs, and training programs to ensure clinical expertise and assist patients and their families. The WOCN Specialist utilizes the nursing process to provide leadership for quality and cost-effective nursing care at the team level for the Outpatient SCI/BI patients/families. This requires interdisciplinary collaboration with other team members to coordinate the specific needs of the adolescent, adult and geriatric SCI/BI patients. This position will provide consultation, advanced knowledge, expertise and clinical skills to all departments for complex wound, ostomy and incontinence patients according to established processes, evidence-based practices and WOCN standards.

Position Requirements:

• Licensure/Certification/Registrations: Current Colorado RN license and current BLS for the Health Care Provider certification from the American Heart Association are required. Wound and Ostomy Certification from a recognized WOCN program is required, Continence Certification strongly preferred. Education: Graduate of a nursing program from an accredited college or university required. A graduate of a CCNE or NLNAC accredited school of nursing preferred; BSN Required, MSN preferred.
• Experience: Minimum of 5 years RN experience in a hospital setting required. Minimum of 13 years of experience in wound care management and education preferred.
• Skills & Abilities: Knowledge of nursing principles, practices, and procedures and patient safety principles in WOCN in the outpatient care environment required. Knowledge of nursing principles, practices and procedures in neuroscience and acute med/surg in the rehabilitation setting is strongly preferred. The ability to assess staff, patient, and family needs and coordinate an appropriate nursing plan of care. Excellent organization and customer service skills. The ability to successfully handle multiple priorities and prioritize and schedule accordingly. Must be able to successfully and effectively communicate with a variety of personnel. Work collaboratively with other departments and physicians. Able to respond to crises and emergency situations appropriately. The ability to develop institutional educational and research policies and programs, quality improvement programs, and operational policies and procedures. The ability to use professional judgment to identify areas for improvement and participate in the development of quality initiatives. The ability to maintain confidentiality in all aspects of the position. Proven analytical, problem-solving, and troubleshooting skills. The ability to make formal presentations in front of large groups. Creative and able to be an "out of the box" thinker. Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office.

Essential Functions:

• Promote and implement a wound care program to include patient care protocols, documentation tools, wound care formulary and WOCN referral criteria.
• Establish standards of care, competencies, policies and procedures in quality, cost-efficient, and effective wound care for all outpatient clinical staff.
• Through training and support, empower appropriate clinical staff to effectively assess wounds, recommend appropriate protocols, and advocate with physicians.
• Provide basic wound care training and orientation to all new nursing and therapy staff on hire.
• Address the physical, emotional and social issues of patients with ostomies, stomas, acute and chronic wounds, and urinary and fecal incontinence.
• Provide consultative services to outpatient nursing staff, medical staff and outpatients for wound, ostomy, incontinence needs.
• Work with and make recommendations to the practitioner/physician for changes to wound care orders, and provide evidence-based research support as needed. Participate in wound care clinics and in point of service visits for wounds.
• Develop and implement tools to ensure the effectiveness of an outpatient wound care program on an ongoing basis, to include chart review and assisting with data collection.
• Utilize analytical skills and advanced assessment skills necessary to assess a patient's condition and utilize that data through the nursing process and clinical judgment to provide comprehensive patient care.
• Coordinate nursing care activities with other members of the interdisciplinary rehabilitation team to facilitate achievement of overall goals.
• Educate and prepare the patient/family for future self-management by facilitating patient movement from passive to an active partnership and eventually to a personal self-care expert.

** This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties. Employees may perform other related duties as assigned.

Salary Range- $40.71/ Hour - $58.63/ Hour