Wound Care RN

Responsible for the treatment and management of disorders affecting the gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and integumentary (digestive, urinary, skin) systems. The scope of care typically involves the treatment of ostomies, stomas, acute and chronic wounds, and urinary and fecal incontinence. Provides a multidisciplinary approach to treatment across a continuum of care and collaborate with members of a healthcare team to provide a comprehensive plan of care. The physical challenges that ostomies, stomas, acute and chronic wounds, and urinary and fecal incontinence present for the patient often produce emotional and social issues that need to be addressed. This includes support, guidance, and counseling, plus support and education of the families.

1. Perform conservative debride, clean, and bandage wounds according to scope of practice
2. Work with care team to determine if antibiotics, surgery, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, or other treatments are needed.
3. Care for ostomies, diabetic foot care, and more.
4. Educates patients and caretakers on wound care, infection and injury prevention, and pressure ulcer care and prevention for those who are bedridden or have limited mobility.
5. Completes proper documentation for Medicare reimbursement and recommend orders to promote wound healing and the prevention of skin breakdown.
6. Must comply with OSHA standards and universal precautions.
7. Provides cares to inpatients at KRMC as determined by Wound Ostomy Nurse Lead
8. Treat and manage a variety of skin lesion and ulcerations pressure ulcers, traumatic and draining wounds, surgical incisions, and dehisced surgical wounds. Both inpatient and outpatient.
9. Treating skin reactions.
10. Preventing skin breakdown.
11. Treating and managing vascular ulcers, pressure ulcers and diabetic ulcers.
12. Initiating preventative measures.
13. Providing comprehensive wound management, including reducing causative factors, controlling odor, assessing nutritional needs, and providing and applying topical therapies.
14. Educating the patient, the patient's family, and any other support persons on care techniques.
15. Assessing and treating draining wounds and fistulae.
16. Designing pouch systems for draining wounds and fistulae.
17. Implementing preventative actions to reduce the incidences of pressure ulcers and vascular ulcers.
18. Providing instruction on proper wound dressing.
19. Educating the patient, the patient's family, and other support persons on ulcer prevention and treatment.
20. Managing and placing wound vacs.
21. Provide inpatient and outpatient care, as well as pre- and post-operative education, support and counseling for individuals who undergo surgery for colostomies, ileostomies, or urostomies.
22. Providing self-care, diet, and lifestyle education and support.
23. Preventing peristomal/stomal complications.
24. Providing rehabilitative care.
25. Assessing stoma site selection and marking to decrease long-term complications and encourage pouching system adherence.
26. Reviewing and modifying pouch system problems.
27. Addressing and preventing peristomal skin complications.
28. Assess and manage fistula.
29. Provide a wide range of services that address causative factors, restorative strategies, and lifestyle/quality of life issues.
30. Selecting and recommending collection devices or undergarments.
31. Providing instruction on pelvic muscles exercises.
32. Counseling the patient, the patient's family, and other support persons on hygiene and skin care.
33. Providing instruction on self-catheterization.
34. Identifying contributing factors and suggesting dietary and environmental modifications.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

1. Must be a graduate of an accredited school of nursing with a current Nebraska license.
2. Wound treatment associates - certificate required. Employee must complete after 160 hours of preceptorship and be enrolled in classes within 6 months of hire.
3. Requires knowledge of technical nursing procedures.
4. Current BLS and ACLS certification.