Welcome to Aurora Health & Rehabilitation, where excellence in care meets a vibrant team spirit! If you're ready to make a meaningful impact, thrive in a collaborative environment, and be part of our experienced, energetic, and compassionate healthcare team, explore opportunities with us. As a key player in a leading long-term care organization in Missouri, we are dedicated to finding the best individuals in their fields. If this resonates with you, keep reading!

Why choose us?

Experience the Aurora Health & Rehabilitation difference. Join a team where your work makes a meaningful impact in a collaborative, energetic, and compassionate environment. As a key player in Missouri's leading long-term care organization, we seek the best in their fields. If you're ready to contribute to excellence in healthcare, explore opportunities with us and discover a fulfilling career at Aurora Health & Rehabilitation.

What We offer:

• Competitive base pay and shift differentials
• Full benefits package (Comprehensive Health, including Vision, Dental) 
• Generous paid time off
• Flexible scheduling options to balance your busy personal life
• On-going training and support
• Fun work environment
• And much more!

Job Title: Wound Care Nurse

Reports To: Director of Nursing

Job Summary:

The purpose of the Wound Care Nurse position is to support the nursing department and facility wide directives through specialized focus on Infection Prevention (IP), Wound Care Specialist (WCS) and Risk Management (RM. Nothing in this specification restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. This job description is not an all- inclusive list of essential functions for the job described, but rather a general description of some of the responsibilities necessary to carry out the duties of this position.

HOURS AND SHIFTS: Monday-Friday, day shift with occassional weekends and evenings

MAJOR DUTIES AND CRITICAL TASKS:

Infection Preventionist (IP)-Under the general direction of the DON and the Infection Control Committee (ICC), the Wound Care Nurse is responsible for the effective direction, management, and operation of the infection prevention and control/epidemiology department, including education of facility personnel. Consultation with the facility, CDC, and the state health departments will be to promote an effective Infection Control Program at CCMC. The responsibilities encompass compliance with regulatory and accrediting agencies, CMS, OSHA, state regulations, outbreak investigation, and overall direction of the infection prevention and control program. The Infection Preventionist assists with prevention of healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs) by isolating sources of infections and limiting their spread; systematically collects, analyzes and interprets health data in order to plan, implement, evaluate, and disseminate appropriate public health practices.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Facilitates the operation of the facility Infection Prevention/Control Program and supports continuous quality improvement.
• Supports the facility and medical staff, departments and teams including guidance, training, technical support, celebrating successes and continued learning related to infection prevention.
• Chairs the infection Prevention/Control Committee and as a member of other committees as assigned.
• Compiles and submits data related to Infection Prevention.
• Supports facility Quality Improvement activities with data support, analysis, and internal consulting.
• Monitors and maintains current knowledge of key facility accrediting and regulatory agencies indicators/standards.
• Develops policies and procedures that support infection prevention and control.
• Consults with CNO and LTC DON and non-clinical managers to ensure infection prevention and control measures are followed.
• Identifies, investigates, and reports health care associated infections among patients and personnel through ongoing surveillance.
• Maintains logs with infection surveillance data.
• Maintains current knowledge of CDC guidelines and recommendations for infection prevention/control and definitions of health care associated infections.
• Calculates infection rates using the CDC’s recommended denominator data, prepares, and presents reports to Infection Control Committee.
• Responsible for providing Infection Prevention orientation and other in-service programs related to infection prevention and control for the facility.
• Collaborates with HR and provides direction regarding employee health issues such as exposures, vaccines, or vaccine preventable diseases, communicable diseases and other infection. prevention/control related issues involving facility employees.
• Makes recommendations regarding real or potential problems/improvement opportunities, including desirable approaches for resolution.
• Collaborates and reports to appropriate agencies/regulatory organizations
• Follows the standards set by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).

Wound Care Specialist (WCS)-Under general direction of the CNO, the WCS coordinates treatment to provide comprehensive wound assessments and plan of care including goals, implementation of treatment, evaluation, and outcomes for patients throughout the facility. Provides patient, family and staff education regarding wound management, prevention of pressure ulcers, support surfaces, dressing selections and other therapies. Acts as the resource person for physicians and clinical staff for wound management. Additionally, is able to perform general nursing duties in all departments with adequate supervision. Participates in quality improvement plan for the facility.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Ability to perform wound assessment, reassessment, and management for all patients and per policy.
• Knowledge of the anatomy, physiology, and disorders of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and dermal systems.
• Utilizes current wound management theory when providing care to patients with acute and chronic wound. Follows the standards of the Organization of Wound Care Nurses (OWCN).
• Demonstrates thorough knowledge of staging system of wounds.
• Develops skin care programs to prevent skin breakdown.
• Demonstrates knowledge and skill to develop and implement policies and procedures to manage patients with draining wounds, fistulae and/or tubes; wound prevention, wound care, ostomy care, and incontinence.
• Ability to revise plan of care as indicated by the patient’s response to treatment and evaluate overall plan for effectiveness.
• Demonstrates ability to perform treatments and provide services with nursing scope of practice.
• Formulates a teaching plan based upon identified learning needs and evaluates effectiveness of learning to include patient, family, and employees as appropriate.
• Knowledgeable of medications and their correct administration based on the patient and clinical condition.
• Acts as a resource person to physicians, nursing, and other facility staff. Provides in-services on wound prevention, wound care, ostomy care, and incontinence.
• Documentation meets current standards and practices.
• Integrates research findings to clinical practice.
• Participates in professional societies. Stays current with changes, new advances/treatment in wound care.34
• Serves as a liaison between physicians, patients, and manufacturers of clinical products.
• Knowledgeable of clinical products currently available on the market.
• Operates all equipment correctly and safely.
• Coordinates and supervises patient care as necessary.

Risk Management (RM)-Under the general supervision of the CNO, the RM will initiate, coordinate, and manage all investigational and evaluation activities associated with professional and general liability occurrences and claim pre-litigation files. Provide basic and complex preventive risk management assessment of processes, procedures, and programs, including in-service education, and consultation.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Investigate and analyze potential and actual professional liability and general liability exposures for the facility.
• Review, code and investigate occurrence reports; recommend corrective actions based on individual reports or trends. Provide quality assurance and peer review as appropriate.
• Provide in-service education on risk management topics, both standard basic education and complex focused topics as needed and/or requested.

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Education: Graduate of an accredited nursing program. Prefer BSN and/or MSN or currently pursuing advanced degree.

Certifications:

• Required BLS, ACLS, PALS and TNCC
• CIC – Certification in Infection Prevention and Control within 1 year CWCN – Certified Wound Care Nurse within 1 year

Experience:

• Required - Minimum, two (2) years’ experience in Nursing. 
• General knowledge of a variety of nursing specialties. 
• Knowledge of basic Infection Prevention standards, wound care knowledge and experience with the ability to develop and implement programs within each focused area.

Requirements:

• Must possess a valid, current Registered Nurse (RN) license in the state of practice. 
• Must be able to read, write, and speak the English language. 
• Must possess the ability to make independent decisions when circumstances warrant such action. 
• Have the ability to be tactful and polite with personnel, residents, family members, visitors, government agencies, and the public. 
• Must possess leadership skills and the willingness to work harmoniously with professional and non-professional personnel. 
• Must be able to move intermittently throughout the workday. Must be able to cope with the mental and emotional stress of the position. 
• Must function independently, have flexibility, personal integrity, and the ability to work effectively with residents, personnel, and support agencies.
• Must be able to work with ill, disabled, elderly, emotionally upset, and at times hostile people within the facility. 
• Must be able to lift patients, medical equipment, supplies, etc.

We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.