The Wound Care Nurse specializes in the proper management of wound care by treating and monitoring wounds that are the result of disease, injury, or medical treatments and is an expert in treatment of complex wounds including acute and chronic, ostomy and stoma care, and urinary and fecal incontinence. The job requires the certified nurse to provide care that will quickly and safely heal various types of wounds, including surgical openings, ulcers, bed sores, feeding tube sites, ostomy, and abscesses. The nurse is specialized in treatment and management of disorders affecting the gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and integumentary system of the patients. The job requires accessing wounds and ostomy care, creating and implementing treatment plans, monitoring infections and signs of various infections, and cleaning wounds. The nurse must also have the skills to notice symptoms that require surgical drains or surgical debridement. They must handle the wounds of the patients respectfully and delicately. The nurse will also educate other staff members in the area of proper wound care. The nurse will collaborate with other members of the Health Care Team including tribal leaders, healthcare professionals, and community stakeholders to develop and implement culturally appropriate health initiatives, ensure access to quality healthcare services, and promote preventive care and healthy lifestyles.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES and/or RESPONSIBILITIES include the following:
- Coordinate care with the Health Care Team to ensure treatments and plans are appropriate or if changes in care are required to provide a comprehensive plan of care.
- Liaison between patients, families, and the Health Care Team which in turn will provide improved level of comfort and support for both patients and their families with support, guidance, and counseling.
- Assess the unique needs of each patient to determine appropriate treatment or routine care of the patient.
- Educate patients and families on best practices to promote healing and wellness including care of ostomy, stoma, and incontinence guidelines.
- Scope and duties for wound care include:
- Treating skin reactions.
- Preventing skin breakdown.
- Treating and managing vascular ulcers, pressure ulcers, and diabetic ulcers.
- Initiating preventive measures.
- Providing comprehensive wound management, including reducing causative factors, controlling odor, assessing nutritional needs, and providing and applying topical therapies.
- Educating the patient, the patient's family, and any other support persons on care techniques.
- Assessing and treating draining wounds and fistulae.
- Implementing preventive actions to reduce the incidences of pressure ulcers and vascular ulcers.
- Providing instruction on proper wound dressing.
- Scope and duties for ostomy care include:
- Pre- and post-operative education, support, and counseling for patients who undergo surgery for colostomies, ileostomies, or urostomies.
- Providing self-care, diet, and lifestyle education and support.
- Preventing peristomal/stomal complications.
- Providing rehabilitative care.
- Assessing stoma site marking to decrease long-term complications and encourage pouching system adherence.
- Reviewing and modifying pouch system problems.
- Addressing and preventing peristomal skin complications.
- Scope and duties for incontinence care include:
- Addressing causative factors, restorative strategies, and lifestyle/quality of life issues due to incontinence.
- Selecting and recommending collective devices and undergarments.
- Providing instructions on pelvic muscle exercises.
- Counseling the patient, the patient's family, and other support persons on hygiene and skin care.
- Providing instruction on self-catheterization.
- Identifying contributing factors and suggesting dietary and environmental modifications.
- Track treatments and patient progress according to HIPAA guidelines.
- Fulfill other nursing duties as reasonably assigned, including but not limited to:
- Float nurse in the clinic.
- IV medication administration.
- Provide educational support sessions for the Health Care Team to advance the team's understanding of wound care, ostomy care, and continence care.
- Willing to expand operational hours of care as the progress of Carl T. Curtis expanded care will occur in the future.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the duties.
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:
- High school diploma or GED.
- Must have experience in applying professional nursing principles, procedures, and techniques to outpatients with a wide variety of health care conditions with emphasis on wound, ostomy, and continence care, including prevention and education.
- Certifications and prior experience in wound care strongly preferred.
CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, and/or REGISTRATIONS:
- Must maintain an RN licensed degree; hold a state RN licensure without any disciplinary actions.
- Certifications and prior experience in wound care strongly preferred.
- CPR and basic life support certifications.
- Board certified Wound, Ostomy, and Continence degree strongly preferred. (If not certified, willing to begin the educational steps to obtain certification with an accredited college or university).
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, and/or ABILITIES:
- Adherence to OSHA and HIPAA requirements.
- Ability to work well in a team setting.
- Detail-oriented.
- Excellent in follow-through.
- Excellent in oral and written communication skills.
- Ability to exercise judgment in application of professional services.
Must pass background check, physical, and pre-employment drug screen.
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