Wound Care Ostomy Specialist

Major Responsibilities:

• Provides assessment and direct care for prevention and management of wounds and ostomies.
•  Collaborates with health care team members to ensure effective implementation of plan.
•  Evaluates effectiveness of interventions and revises plan, as needed.
•  May work collaboratively with surgeons to assure optimal ostomy location and pouching system.
•  Communicates ongoing wound and ostomy care needs and interventions across the care continuum, including the delivery of follow up care needs and consultation for ostomy patients.
•  Makes collaborative clinical decisions in solving patient care skin integrity and ostomy problems, providing therapeutic measures within area of practice
•  Collaborates and partners with support groups and provides individualized information to patients, families and caregivers, as deemed appropriate.
•  Provides clear, concise, accurate and timely documentation to facilitate care planning and delivery of evidenced-based care.
•  In conjunction with prescribing providers, provide assessment and/or hands on care for wound prevention or management, performing comprehensive assessment and reassessment to determine the most appropriate and cost-effective use of wound management products and resources.
•  As a member of the interdisciplinary team, formulates a comprehensive evidenced based, individualized plan of care that promotes wound prevention and healing.
• Educates health care professionals, other caregivers, and patients about risk factors, prevention, and appropriate interventions and treatments.
• Serves as a resource to instruct caregivers, family, outside health care providers and monitor nursing staff in prevention strategies, appropriate identification and documentation, and the delivery of care for wound, ostomy and continence management
• Provides information on current trends, techniques, and nursing research outcomes to staff
•  Provides guidance and expertise for product usage and techniques. Maintains a list of recommended products that address clinical needs.
•  Provides and reinforces education to patients, family members, caregivers and clinical staff regarding preventative measures, interventions, and individualized patient treatment plans.
• Improve cost and quality outcomes that address wound prevention, wound management, continence and ostomy care.
• Participates in activities to enhance professional growth by involvement in professional organizations and continuing education.
• Collaborates with site and system teams to develop, implement and evaluate strategies for cost effective, evidenced based prevention and treatment of wound, skin, ostomy, and continence needs.
• Collaborates with site and system quality improvement initiatives focused in the wound, ostomy and continence arena, which may include participation with indicator selection, monitoring, audits and NDNQI prevalence and incidence studies. Partners with other clinicians and sites to develop action plans for identified areas that are high risk or require improvement.
• May coordinate prevalence and incidence studies, supplies the data from the prevalence study for NDNQI submission.
• Keeps abreast of current standards of care via literature, educational events, internal and external resources and internal/external networking.

Licensure:

• Nurse, Registered (RN)

Education/Experience Required:

• BSN 3 years Nursing experience 1 year wound and ostomy experience preferred Graduate from an accredited school of nursing

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required:

• Basic computer skills Excellent communication and problem-solving skills. Ability to educate and motivate Clinical expertise in specialty area. Good priority and time management skills
• Current RN licensure in the State of Illinois Specialty Certification preferred (i.e. wound, ostomy, and/or continence). CPR Certification

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions:

• Able to communicate with patients and members of health care team Ability to prioritize independently and response to multiple simultaneous requests. Ability to travel to other Advocate facilities Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with established time constraints and in difficult situations Flexibility to deal with changing environment May be exposed to hazardous materials and life threatening disease This position will need to recognize the needs and behaviors of a variety of age groups and look for signs of normal aging, prior experience with various age groups is preferred Evidence of this can be shown by recognizing levels of development and modifying approach and exhibiting communication skills necessary to interpret age specific responses.
• Ability to lift up to 35 pounds without assistance. For patient lifts of over 35 pounds, or when patient is unable to assist with the lift, patient handling equipment is expected to be used, with at least one other associate, when available. Unique patient lifting/movement situations will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Addendum: Competent level qualifications include greater than 2 years wound care experience. Certified as WOCN (Wound Ostomy Certified Nurse).

This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties.