The CWOCN provides quality, cost-effective management of a caseload of inpatients, outpatients, home care, and long-term care patients in the Northwest Region who have complex wound, ostomy, and continence care needs. Upon referral from physicians and other healthcare providers the CWOCN assesses, plans, implements and evaluates patient care. The CWOCN provides expert consultation, coordination of services and education for patients and families and the healthcare team to achieve optimal patient care and adequate staff knowledge of wound and ostomy care. The major clinical focus of this position varies to include the hospital, outpatient clinic, home care, and long-term care. The CWOCN reports to the Wound/Ostomy/Continence CNS/Clinical Supervisor.
Essential Functions:
- Staffs hospital, outpatient chronic wound clinics, home health/hospice in multiple locations throughout the region.
- Assesses, examines, counsels, and determines treatment for prevention and healing of wounds, ostomy and continence care.
- Determines and orders appropriate topical products, compression therapy, sharp debridement, referrals to specialty providers, and labs and xrays based on established KPNW Certified Wound/Ostomy/Continence Nurse standards of care within scope of practice.
- Organizes and plans patients' ostomy care and rehabilitation through assessment, examination, pre-and post-operative teaching, counseling and recommending treatment and product use.
- Consults with outpatient physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers in hospital, clinic, home health/hospice and skilled nursing facilities regarding wound, ostomy, and continence management for individual patients.
- Recommends treatment modalities to promote healing, contain drainage, and promote skin integrity.
- Consults with local outpatient materials management, pharmacy, reception staff regarding issues related to the delivery of effective wound/ostomy/continence care.
- Consults with contracted home health agencies, Kaiser Permanente utilization reviewer, and primary care clinicians regarding appropriate clinical wound, ostomy and continence care and utilization for home care and skilled nursing facility patients.
- Provides formal education of nursing, medical, and other healthcare staff regarding wound and ostomy management.
- Develops state-of-the-art protocols, staff and patient written resources in collaboration with regional Wound CNS and other KP CWOCNs.
- Participates in quality management/improvement activities in the NW Region as appropriate, including occurrence reporting, focused studies, process and outcome measurement and continuous quality improvement projects.
- Consults with DME, Materials Management regarding optimum use of supplies and equipment.
- Participates as a member of the CWOCN team, including team meeting and case conferences.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
Basic Qualifications:
- Minimum three (3) years of nursing experience.
- Minimum two (2) years of medical/surgical nursing experience in home care, long-term care, hospital, or clinic setting.
- Two (2) years of CWOCN experience in home health, acute care, or clinic preferred.
- Work experience at Kaiser Permanente preferred.
- Experience as public speaker preferred.
- Required for CWOCN: Bachelors of Science in nursing, or a RN license with a baccalaureate degree in another discipline.
- Licensed in Oregon and Washington. Requires Oregon or Washington license at time of hire. Licenses in both states are required within six (6) months of hire.
- Valid driver's license.
- Current Basic Life Support CPR card.
- Certificate of completion of Wound Ostomy Continence Nurses Society accredited educational program within sixty (60) days of being hired for this position.
- Wound, Ostomy, Continence Nurse Board certification (CWOCN) within six (6) months of hire, (note: recertification is required every five (5) years).
- Thorough knowledge of current wound, ostomy, continence nursing practice.
- Knowledge of adult learning theory.
- Thorough knowledge of universal infection control.
- Vascular assessment, including Doppler measurement of arterial flow.
- Sharp instrument wound debridement.
- Group presentation skills to facilitate provision of in-service training.
- Ability to complete concise, thorough clinical documentation of patient assessments and care.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Problem-solving, organizational and time management skills.
- Ability to work in interdisciplinary team as a consultant and direct care provider.
- Demonstration of customer-focused service skills.
- Ability to proficiently operate personal computer.
- Working knowledge of quality management and resource utilization methodologies.
- Working knowledge of Kaiser Permanente preferred.
- Knowledge of Medicare and JCAHO regulations preferred.
- Skills in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and digital photography preferred.
Salary Range:
$42.21 - $54.80
External hires must pass a background check/drug screen.
We are proud to be an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.