Wound Ostomy & Continence Nurse

Wound Care Nurse

Promotes and restores health by coordinating nursing process related to skin and wound care, collaborating with physicians and interdisciplinary team members to assure positive outcomes.

Essential Functions

• Ensures quality clinical practice throughout Good Shepherd facilities by demonstrating use of the nursing process.
• Initiates assessment planning, implementation and evaluation of care.
• Demonstrates the ability to prioritize needs to effectively meet patients', residents', families', caregivers' and staff needs.
• Demonstrates, with assistance from clinical staff, the ability to identify all patients/residents at risk for difficulty with skin integrity and is able to develop an effective interdisciplinary program.
• Manages the wound expert documentation system for the GSRN Network.

• Demonstrates financial accountability by recommending the most effective and cost responsible treatment to meet patient/resident needs.
• Identifying and providing input to the interdisciplinary team members regarding cost effective means of treatment.
• Assists with monitoring budget reviews in collaboration with nursing management to implement corrective action where necessary.

• Develops and maintains staff accountability in coordination with the clinical leadership to accomplish positive results by making rounds to Good Shepherd facilities as necessary to assess and identify needs whether they are patient/resident or staff focused in regard to skin care.
• Assures that licensed/unlicensed staff have achieved competency to perform their responsibilities in regard to skin care needs.
• Provides service and educational programs as needed to nurses, physicians and other health care team members in cooperation with Clinical Nurse Educators.

• Maintaining current practice standards by developing and monitoring standards of care including appropriate references.
• Assists in the formulation and evaluation of procedures, protocols and policies related to wounds, ostomies and incontinence.
• Prepares a skin care report as requested of individual nursing leaders.
• Analyzes variances and formulates an action plan where necessary.
• Assists in developing Interdisciplinary Skin Care Teams at organization specific sites and supports each skin care team as a collaborative partner.

• Ensures patient/resident safety by monitoring staff performance in regard to issues affecting skin integrity and any infection control issues to promote appropriate preventative supportive and healing measures.
• Demonstrates appropriate responsiveness to concerns regarding medical needs, psychological well-being, potential or real injury, abuse or distress concerns affecting residents and or staff.

• Contribute to team effort by attending and contributing to Nursing Management/Leadership meetings as requested.
• Developing and maintaining channels of communication which will enhance working relations and service delivery between interdisciplinary team members, interdepartmentally and among all facilities within the organization.

• Demonstrates professional development by utilizing knowledge base and maintaining standards within scope of practice of Wound Ostomy and Continence Nurse.
• By remaining current in nursing and management knowledge and skills.
• Maintains active membership in professional organizations. Actively participate in both in house and other professional inservice opportunities.

• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Education: Associate's Degree in Nursing or Nursing Diploma required, Bachelor's Degree in Nursing preferred.
• Work Experience: Expertise in wound care documentation, 1-2 years' experience in wound care required.
• Licenses / Certifications: Registered Nurse license required, BLS/CPR for a healthcare provider, per the American Heart Association required, CWOCN or CWON required.