RN Wound Care Lead

The Lead WCN will establish and maintain practice standards and ensure adherence to policies and procedures related directly to caring for patients with pressure injuries. The Lead Wound Care Nurse (WCN) demonstrates a high degree of professional competence in a specialized field of nursing and utilizes advanced theoretical and empirical knowledge and a scientific approach to problem solving. The Lead Wound Care Nurse establishes standards for patient care and evaluates interventions to improve care.

Emphasis on the role components is dependent upon the patient population and the clinical and administrative functions/needs of the unit, Department of Professional practice and Education. This position will coordinate the investigation on improvement of nursing care when hospital acquired pressure injuries occur and lead in developing action plans to prevent future occurrences. The Lead Wound Care Nurse Job is defined by the scope and depth of practice as required by a specific group of patients.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: consultation, education, ostomy/wound supply recommendations, and ostomy counseling as indicated and recommendation of referrals to community health agencies for post-hospitalization care. Additional responsibilities include program development and implementation, development/revision of standards and guidelines, selection and usage oversight of wound, ostomy, and skin care supplies and sleep surfaces in Materials Management, and active participation in Quality Improvement projects. The position is hospital wide, population based rather than unit based.

Essential duties and responsibilities

• Manages and directs the Wound Care staff team activities and assists in interviewing process.
• Leads in the development, facilitation, and coordination of a cost effective wound care/ostomy care program.
• Develops evidence based protocols & practice Standards for managing patients with wound/ostomy and incontinence care needs.
• Monitor patient outcomes on an ongoing basis.
• Works with the Clinical Education department on the development of education programs specific to Wound/Ostomy /Continence patient care for staff and inpatient groups
• The Lead WCN will develop evidence based treatment plans according to current wound care protocols; explain dressing rationale, institute preventive measures and monitor results of care delivered.
• Communicate information to the unit managers when there is a deviation from standard protocols and to key stakeholders when reportable hospital acquired pressure injuries occur.
• Advise physicians on the status of patient’s wounds and make recommendations for patients requiring debridement procedures are identified.
• Collaborate with the MLKCH dietary team to identify patients with nutritional deficiencies and assist in solving nutrition problems.
• Perform documentation audits to ensure wound care tasks are met and to promote compliance to the established protocols.
• Develop standardization of documentation for the wound care team.
• Develop a guideline for prioritization of consults and follow-up visits.
• Consult on new ostomy patients and ostomy patients experiencing peristomal complication.
• Provides leadership to the Wound Care Committee to ensure hospital wide initiatives and activities are completed.
• Ensures prevalence studies are completed timely, effectively, and monitoring utilization of support surfaces.
• Maintains data and statistical reports and reports out to key committees on an ongoing basis, as requested.
• Participates in Quality Improvement Plans with the assistance of the Quality Department.
• Acts as a resource person to nursing staff and wound care team, as needed.
• Assumes responsibility to maintain and upgrade professional knowledge and skills through attendance and participation in continuing education and in-service education programs and participates in multi-disciplinary patient centered case conferences, as appropriate.
• Demonstrates the knowledge and skill necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served on his/her assigned visit.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Position requirements

A. Education.

• Bachelor of Sciences degree in nursing (individuals hired without a BSN will be required to complete a degree program within 2 years of their hire date)

B. Qualifications/Experience

• Minimum two years experience in wound care
• Minimum one year acute care nursing experience
• Certified Wound Ostomy Continence Nurse (CWOCN); or Certified Wound Care Nurse (CWCN) required within 2 years of hire date
• Current California RN license.
• Current BLS card.

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