Wound Care Specialist

Clinical Expertise & Patient Care

• Demonstrates strong critical‑thinking skills to identify clinical, social, safety, psychological and spiritual needs throughout the care episode.
• Provides follow‑up evaluation for ostomy and skin‑care patients after discharge to ensure continuity of care.
• Applies evidence‑based practice and incorporates standards from NPUAP and WOCN to improve patient quality, safety and satisfaction.
• Creates a compassionate, patient‑focused experience and builds healing relationships with patients, families and colleagues.
• Uses the Nursing Process within Relationship‑Based Care to develop holistic, patient‑centered goals and care plans.
• Communicates clearly with nursing staff, physicians, patients, families and the care team; documentation is accurate and promotes continuity.
• Demonstrates highly developed clinical assessment and analytical skills, especially in the care of patients with wounds, ostomies, fistulas, incontinence and skin‑integrity concerns.

Education, Teaching & Professional Development

• Enthusiastically precepts students, graduate nurses, new staff, medical students and residents.
• Promotes continuous learning by sharing research and professional resources, supporting journal clubs and presenting educational materials.
• Conducts in‑services and formal lectures for nursing units and other departments.
• Contributes to the development of unit‑based skin‑care committees and supports clinical skill growth among unit representatives.
• Identifies learning opportunities from clinical and behavioral situations and seeks feedback to support continuous improvement.
• Participates in product evaluations related to ostomy and skin‑care needs to ensure cost‑effective, high‑quality patient care.

Leadership & Professional Practice

• Serves as a role model and recognized leader in clinical expertise, education, evidence‑based practice and specialized wound/ostomy care.
• Provides constructive feedback to members of the healthcare team and participates in peer review.
• Leads or serves on teams to promote changes that enhance quality of care within the WOCN department and broader Nursing department.
• Actively participates in shared governance at the department and hospital-wide level, serving as a member or resource for councils.

Collaboration, Culture & Workplace Health

• Builds and strengthens relationships across the care team to support a healthy, collaborative workplace.
• Role models cultural awareness and actively prevents/address horizontal violence and impairment concerns.
• Maintains balance between work and personal life through effective prioritization and delegating in the clinical area by sharing research, materials from professional organizations, presenting on the unit, supporting journal clubs, etc.