Wound Care Nurse

SUMMARY OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Conducts health assessment interview focused on wound, ostomy, and continence related care. Performs focused physical assessment, develops plan of care based on the diagnosis and individual client needs. Recommends medications and treatments as appropriate.
• Develop, revise and evaluate standards of care, assist in the selection of supplies, technology and equipment.
• Assess and document patient response to wound care, ostomy, continence, fistula and complex wounds treatment.  Evaluate the quality and delivery of care provided by the clinical staff on unit.
• Works collaboratively with the health care team and makes referrals to other disciplines as indicated.
• Teach, counsels, and assists individuals and families to assume responsibility for prevention of complications as they relate to patients with ostomies, wounds, or continence problems.
• Develop, provide and evaluate staff education programs, i,e., new employee orientation, in services, and continuing education programs.
• Routinely providing comprehensive assessments of patients at risk for developing pressure injuries. Initiating preventative measures.
• Escalate and communicate challenges identified including ethical issues and issues related to conflict resolution.
• Routinely collaborating with Assistant Director of Nursing for Wound Care to initiate and recommend best practices based on prudent assessment.
• Participating in Unit/Department Quality Improvement and Hospital Wide Q.I activities, i.e. Incidence, Prevalence Studies and Nursing Quality
• Providing culturally competent patient, family and staff education consistent with cultural, ethnic, religious and other belief systems.
• Maintaining the security and confidentiality of data and information in accordance with patient rights policies.
• Achieving and maintaining a level of professional competency by engaging in activities consistent with clinical practice and population to serve.
• Identifies available community resources helpful to clients, refers and assists clients in utilizing such resources.
• Asset management related to rented equipment. e.g. Specialty beds, and Negative Pressure Devices
• Performing other tasks as assigned.

1. Valid license and current registration to practice as a Registered Professional Nurse issued by the New York State Education Department (NYSED); and
2. Current certification in one of the following:
• Certified Wound Ostomy Continence Nurse (CWOCN) issued by the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing Certification Board (WOCNCB); or
• Certified Wound Ostomy Nurse (CWON) issued by the WOCNCB; or
• Certified Wound Care Nurse (CWCN) issued by the (WOCNCB); or
• Certified Wound Specialist (CWS) issued by the American Board of Wound Management (ABWM); or
• Wound Care Certified Certification (WCC) issued by the National Alliance of Wound Care and Ostomy (NAWCO).
3. Holds or obtains a valid and current certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) through the American Heart Association (AHA).