JOB TITLE: WOUND, OSTOMY AND CONTINENCE NURSE (WOCN)

Responsible to: Director of Patient Services

WOC NURSE DEFINITION/DESCRIPTION:

As per the NPUAP, wound, ostomy, and continence (WOC) nurses are experts in caring for patients with wounds, ostomies, and incontinence. This includes people with abdominal stomas, wounds, fistulas, drains, pressure injuries, and/or continence disorders. WOCNs can serve as consultants, educators, researchers, and provide patient care. The WOCN coordinates treatment to provide comprehensive wound assessments and assists to set up plans of care including interventions and goals, implementation of treatment, evaluation and outcomes for patients with wounds, fistulas, drains, ostomies or continence disorders. They act as a resource person for clinical staff and physicians and can participate in the quality improvement plan/activities for the agency.

JOB DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES/KNOWLEDGE:

1. Perform wound assessment, reassessment, and management for wound and ostomy patients as requested by agency staff per policy.
2. Provide oversight of wound care provided by RNs and LPNs in management of acute and chronic wounds. Provides in-services on wound prevention, wound care ostomy care and incontinence related care.
3. Knowledge of anatomy, physiology and disorders of the skin, gastrointestinal and genitourinary systems.
4. Utilize the most up to date wound management theory (WOCN and NPUAP standards) when providing care to patients with acute and chronic wounds.
5. Formulate a teaching plan based on identified learning needs, educate patients, families and nurses on wound care, infection, and injury prevention, evaluation of patient's response to treatment and effectiveness of treatment plan.
6. Evaluate effectiveness of learning for patients, families and employees as appropriate.
7. Provide and instruct on evidence-based tools for staff nurses for decision support
8. Assists clinical management to develop and implement policies and procedures to manage patients with draining wounds, fistulae and/or tubes, wound prevention, wound care, ostomy care and incontinence.
9. Educate the individual/family/caregiver on how to change, empty, and manage the pouching system; normal function of the ostomy; normal characteristics of the stoma and peristomal skin; and signs of complications to report to their healthcare provider
10. Treat stomal and peristomal skin complications
11. Navigate resources for patient supplies to reduce ED visits
12. Consult with clinicians to provide follow-up care post-discharge via review of photos of affected site(s), Telehealth, or in person visits
13. Serve as a liaison between physicians, patients and manufacturers of clinical products, knowledgeable of clinical products currently available on the market.
14. Operates all equipment correctly and safely.
15. Perform focused assessments including relevant history to identify risks, contributive factors, and reversible causes on incontinence
16. Advocate for reimbursement of supplies, services, and access to long-term support

JOB PERFORMANCE:

1. Demonstrates ability for perform quality and effective services
2. Demonstrates ability to set and meet objectives, and find increasingly efficient ways to perform task
3. Completes work, and documentation with accuracy and within agency time frames
4. Documentation meets current standards and practices
5. Requires minimal supervision and is self-directed
6. Understands the delivery of service within home care.
7. Participates in professional societies. Stays current with changes, new advances/treatment in wound care

QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Licensed to practice as a Registered Nurse (RN) in NYS
2. Holds a Baccalaureate Degree or higher
3. Completes a formal, accredited WOC full scope or special education program
4. Two years of home health nursing and at least a year practicing as a WOCN in home care preferred
5. Knowledge of OASIS and clinical documentation standards preferred
6. Effective verbal and written communication skills
7. Excellent problem-solving skills
8. Ability to organize multiple responsibilities and set priorities
9. Effective customer relation skills

MISSION/AGENCY STANDARDS

Demonstrates organizational awareness and commitment

1. Understands and appropriately applies the chain of command in relation to job position
2. Assures effective resolution of identified issues.
3. Knows and understands the agency mission in relation to own job position.

Observes confidentiality policy at all times 

1. Protects and honors customer and coworker confidentiality to Federal, State and DOH regulatory standards.
2. Respects customers’ and coworkers’ right to privacy.

Observes attendance and attire policies

1. Meets attendance and punctuality expectations.
2. Demonstrates cooperation with scheduling requests to meet agency needs.
3. Consistently adheres to agency dress code.

Complies with all other related policies, procedures and requests

1. Adheres to agency policies and procedures.
2. Demonstrates knowledge of policies and procedures applicable to own job position.
3. Recommends and/or supports changes to policies and procedures.
4. Honors requests of management for interim rules.

Conserves agency resources

1. Maintains agency property, supplies and equipment in a manner that demonstrates ownership and accountability.
2. Maintains the work area to reduce the likelihood of safety hazards and to enhance its general appearance.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Demonstrates interpersonal understanding and utilizes effective communication skills

1. Considers effects of words and actions on others and communicates with respect, patience and understanding at all times.
2. Utilizes listening and communication skills that indicate understanding and promotes accurate interpretation of others’ concerns, motivations and feelings.
3. Recognizes the influence of beliefs and cultures on behaviors and accepts strengths and limitations in others.
4. Works toward resolution of interpersonal conflicts as they arise
5. Recognizes when others need information, assistance or direction and consistently offers and provides help.
6. Attends and participates positively in meetings.
7. Regularly reads and appropriately applies information to practice.
8. Follows appropriate phone etiquette.
9. Exhibits behaviors of cooperation
10. Cooperates and develops collaborative work efforts that generally benefit all involved parties.
11. Demonstrates the initiative to meet the needs of the agency by assisting coworkers when workload permits.

PERSONAL/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

1. Maintains current personnel and medical file information and provides information to agency in timely manner.
2. Sets own development challenges and volunteers to learn.
3. Assists with orientation of new personnel.
4. Adheres to agency infection control and safety policies, including reporting, practice and implementation specific to OSHA mandates.
5. Attends in-service programs to fulfill requirements of position and agency policies.
6. Maintains stable performance and emotions when faced with opposition, pressure and/or stressful conditions.
7. Understands role in the execution of the Emergency / Disaster Plan.

PROBLEM SOLVING

Exhibits critical thinking abilities and applies them for continuous improvement of services and the agency

1. Uses own knowledge and experience base and other resources as necessary to make logical decisions and solve problems.
2. Continuously analyzes work processes and makes suggestions for improvement.
3. Demonstrates creativity and innovation. Takes reasonable risks and accepts full accountability for actions taken.
4. Recognizes complex connections in situations and can identify the key or underlying issues.
5. Demonstrates the ability to make decisions independently which benefit the agency based on the identification of key or underlying issues.
6. Demonstrates a strongly positive image of self and own skills, capabilities and judgment.