Registered Nurse - Wound Care

Overview

The Registered Nurse Wound Care (RN) position presents an exciting opportunity for RN’s to advance the art and science of nursing specific to wound care through their professional practice and leadership. The Wound Care RN serves as a care consultant and provider for patients with complex wound care needs. The Wound Care RN utilizes their knowledge, skills, and compassion in delivering nursing care in a supportive team-based environment. As a Wound Care Nurse, you will provide safe, effective, individualized, goal directed wound care to a diverse group of patients. The Wound Care RN practices professional nursing as defined by the Texas Board of Nursing, Texas Nurse Practice Act and by adhering to organizational policies, procedures, and guidelines. Our nurses are committed to providing a collaborative environment to provide the safest and highest quality of care for our patients. Our team of Registered Nurses model a commitment to the organization’s vision/mission/values to support an unparalleled patient experience and positive clinical outcomes.

The Wound Care RN may work onsite at a primary location or multiple locations based on business needs.

Responsibilities

Essential Duties • Collaborates with the patient’s care team including, primary care team, specialists, home care, hospital team, and any others involved with the patient’s care to optimize clinical outcomes.• Performs physical patient assessment prior to establishing plan of care, including reviewing patient's history, medications, assessing skin integrity/alteration using appropriate evaluation and examination techniques of wounds, stomas, drainage openings and decubitus. • Assess patients’ nutritional needs, patient/family learning needs, including any tasks that the patient can or cannot accomplish as related to plan of care. Incorporate available technology to aid in physical assessment. • In collaboration with interdisciplinary members of the team, formulates a plan of care including expected outcomes for each patient based on diagnoses derived from patient assessments, including, patient needs, capabilities, and emotional state.• Utilizes expertise and knowledge of skin integrity, wound, ostomy and continence care to develop and update standards of care. Implements nursing actions to maintain appropriate clinical outcomes.• Performs skills proficiently and in accordance with the standards of nursing care.• Assesses progress of specialized skin and wound care treatments as well as patients' emotional response to treatments and procedures.• Discerns critical findings and timely communicates changes in the patient’s condition to the appropriate patient care providers.• Performs reassessments on a regular basis in accordance department standards.• Works with the collaborative care team, develops and implements discharge plans for patients with wound care and/or ostomies, making referrals as needed and arranging for wound care and ostomy supplies and educational materials.• Serves as wound care supply subject matter expert, providing recommendations on wound care, ostomy products and equipment. Maintains wound care supplies inventory and assists with developing wound care supply par levels as indicated. Insures the appropriate use of resources for efficacious patient care.• Teaches, supervises, and serves as a resource person and delegates in accordance with the competency level of all staff members.• Serves as a preceptor and completes the appropriate documentation of wound care training and competency.• Ensures all tasks provided and associated with patient care, patient administrative processes and related duties comply with all regulatory and accreditation standards, and Central Health Standard Operating Procedures, Policies and Procedures.• Enhances the patient experience by addressing and resolving patient issues in a timely manner.• Participates in daily patient care (unit) huddles.• Enhances the patient experience by practicing AIDET during each patient interaction. • Performs clinical duties as assigned and competency validated in accordance with Standing Delegation Orders including, but not limited to: administering medications, beginning and maintaining Intravenous infusions, immunizations, setting up exam or procedure rooms, preparing patients for examinations and /or treatments, assisting provider with exams or procedures, cleaning and disinfection of equipment, exam rooms and storage, stocking exam rooms, perform quality control checks on equipment as per manufacturer guidelines, and responding to emergency codes.• To enhance the patient experience and to avoid delays in care, may support Provider teams by assisting with in-basket management and refilling medications.• Adheres to the Texas Board of Nursing and Texas Nurse Practice Act requirements and to other governing agency regulations.• Assists in the development of departmental protocols, policies, and procedures related to wound care. • Participates in continuous quality improvement projects in order to better serve the patient, family and healthcare system to improve the quality of service provided.• Attends staff meetings and education offerings both in person and via teleconference/online as required.• Supports organizational initiatives to promote and maintain a strong positive workplace culture.• Serves on committees as assigned.• Performs other duties as assigned. Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:  High degree of knowledge of comprehensive wound management including wound assessment, formulation of treatment plan, recommendation of appropriate wound dressing, documentation, evaluation, education, data collection, surveillance and outcome data preferred. High level of skill at building relationships and providing excellent customer and patient care. High level of problem-solving skills to better serve patients and staff. Excellent verbal and written communication skills required.  Strong commitment to quality, efficiency, and effectiveness. Strong application of Microsoft office and electronic health records

Qualifications

MINIMUM EDUCATION: Graduation from an accredited school of nursing

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE: • One-year wound care experience in an ambulatory clinic and/or hospital setting • Demonstrated knowledge of Joint Commission standards, HIPAA regulations, and the Quadruple Aim

REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS/LICENSURE: Holds and maintains these certifications as a professional. Lapsing/expiration of these certifications/licensure will result in suspension of work:1. Unrestricted Registered Nurse License in the State of Texas2. Wound Care certification3. Basic Life Support (BLS) - Obtained through approved American Heart Association or Red Cross.