Wound Care Specialist - Enterostomal Therapy

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

In this role you will be:

• Able to work independently and alter teaching approach to meet patient and staff needs, taking into account potential cultural, linguistic, religious, emotional, and physical/cognitive barriers.
• Willing to work flexible hours.
• Utilizing nursing knowledge to effectively assess patients, formulate patient care plans, and implement/evaluate the plan of care and record completely.
• Coordinating clinical teaching for patients and their families.
• Facilitating case management of complex wound care needs.
• Performing the primary functions of the facilitator, instructor, and resource person in assessing, planning, and organizing wound/ostomy education for staff.
• Developing and implementing patient education programs relating to specialty area by conducting needs assessments, consulting with physicians, and evaluating departmental and administrative requests.
• Researching and incorporating best practices into education content that will improve patient health outcomes by promoting healthy behaviors, supporting the recovery process, and enabling the patient/family/significant other(s) to be involved in care and care decisions.
• Assisting in the development of patient education materials for continuation of home care.
• Serving as a role model and resource for clinical practice in the specialty area for the hospital and physicians to promote the development of clinical expertise in the care of the specialty patient population.
• Providing expertise tailored to meet the needs of staff employees, medical staff, and the community.
• Collaborating with patient care providers to ensure education plans are implemented.
• Coordinating collection and validation of outcome data and using it to improve practice.
• Working off-shifts as required.
• Utilizing the hospital computer system.
• Utilizing excellent interpersonal communication skills to communicate effectively with groups and individuals.
• Occasionally working off-shifts.
• Rounding with the wound care physician extender and collaborating on recommendations for patient wound care.
• Identifying each patient’s age-specific needs and providing appropriate care.
• Involved with the physical, emotional, and social rehabilitation of patients and working collaboratively with physicians, physical therapy, dieticians, case management, and all levels of nursing staff to achieve this function.
• Providing the full scope of WOC nursing practice, including other components such as staff and patient education, counseling, and research.
• Acting within the guidelines of federal and state laws.
• Potentially functioning as a HBO tech.
• Participating in a quarterly prevalence study as per NDNQI requirements, as well as participating in additional wound care related or specific studies as identified by leadership.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

• EDUCATION:
  • RN with a bachelor’s degree in nursing required, master’s degree in nursing preferred
  • Graduate of an accredited WOC (ET) nursing education program or willing to attend within 1 year of hire
• EXPERIENCE:
  • 2 years experience focused on wound/ostomy care and/or patient education preferred
  • 2-5 years experience in acute care required
  • Previous experience in outpatient setting preferred
• LICENSURE/CERTIFICATION:
  • Licensed as a registered nurse in Pennsylvania
  • Current board certification as WOC (ET) nurse (CWOCN) by the Wound, Ostomy, Continence Nursing Certification Board (WOCNCB) or willing to obtain within 1 year of hire
  • Completion of 7-day wound training/HBO program within 2 months of hire