Overview

Job Summary

Serves as the clinical resource and consultant for the acute and rehabilitative care of patients with selected disorders of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and integumentary systems. Provides specialty care for patients with acute and chronic wounds, standard and continent diversions, and fecal and urinary incontinence.

Essential Functions

• Utilizes the nursing process to assess and plan care and education for ostomy and wound care patients.
• Assesses patient care needs and identifies interventions for treatment/prevention of skin related conditions and ostomies
• Performs and/or assists with stomal marking preoperatively, patient/family teaching, follow-up care, and discharge planning.
• Follows patients identified to be at moderate to high risk for skin breakdown and patients with complex wound management needs.
• Collaborates with medical teammates to identify care measures to prevent and treat pressure ulcers and complex wounds and fistulae.
• Works in concert with the medical staff in the use and application of clinical devices/support surfaces for prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers
• Conducts ongoing evaluation of patients referred for WOC services to include effectiveness of interventions.
• Develops and maintains evidence based practice guidelines for care of the ostomy and skin care patients.

Physical Requirements
Work requires walking, standing, sitting, lifting, reaching, stooping, bending, pushing, and pulling. Must be able to lift and support the weight of 35 pounds in handling patients, medical equipment, and supplies. Must speak English in good understandable terms. Intact sense of sight, hearing, smell, and touch. Finger dexterity. Critical thinking and ability to concentrate. Must be able to respond quickly to changes in patient and/or unit conditions. Physical Abilities Testing required. Additional department specific physical requirements may be identified for unique responsibilities within the department by the nurse leader.