Registered Nurse - Wound Care

Join the transformative team at City of Hope, where we're changing lives and making a real difference in the fight against cancer, diabetes, and other life-threatening illnesses. City of Hope’s growing national system includes its Los Angeles campus, a network of clinical care locations across Southern California, a new cancer center in Orange County, California, and treatment facilities in Atlanta, Chicago and Phoenix. our dedicated and compassionate employees are driven by a common mission: To deliver the cures of tomorrow to the people who need them today.

The Wound, Ostomy, Continence Nurse (WOCN) is entrusted with the comprehensive assessment, planning, intervention, and education related to wound, ostomy, and continence care for patients. This role necessitates exemplary organizational and communication skills, along with a proactive approach to managing patient caseloads, collaborating with healthcare professionals, and formulating specialized care protocols.

The successful candidate:

Assessment:

• Must be able to work Monday - Friday, 1st/Days.

• Provides consultation to all departments for complex wound, ostomy, and incontinence patients according to Wound Care Nurse standards.

• Collects patient data and completes required forms with appropriate responses according to Wound Care Nurse standards.

• Identifies patient problems/needs and sets priorities with the development of an individualized plan of care.

• Identifies problems requiring further referral and/or follow-up; reviews and records latest diagnostic results; performs nursing assessment using critical thinking skills.

• Assesses and determines the site for ostomy placement prior to surgery as ordered by the physician.

• Assesses patients with Xerosis and rashes as consulted by physician.

Education:

• Educates the patient and caregivers about the prescribed therapy. The education of the patient or caregiver and assessment of the patient’s or caregiver’s comprehension are documented.

• Provides basic wound care training and orientation to all new nursing staff; provides ongoing in-services and training related to wound care, ostomies, and incontinence.

• Actively participates in wound care-related continuing education programs, sharing knowledge obtained with colleagues to improve care.

• Takes responsibility for personal and professional growth and development by maintaining knowledge and expertise in nursing practice.

Planning Care:

• Develops a plan of care based on the nursing process and incorporates the plans of other disciplines and continuing care needs.

• Includes the patient/family in developing or revising the plan of care; makes referrals to multidisciplinary support services.

• Makes recommendations to the physician for changes to wound care orders and provides evidence-based research support as needed.

Implementing/Managing Care:

• Assists patients in choosing appropriate products, i.e., ostomy, peg, pej supplies.

• Ensures care conforms to accepted practice standards; provides treatments/procedures and other care as prescribed and according to patient care standards.

• Demonstrates understanding of age-related characteristics and needs of patients served; explains nursing procedures; provides discharge teaching.

• Identifies emergency situations and independently initiates advanced therapy; acts as an advocate and coordinator of patient care with other healthcare personnel; evaluates patient care measures instituted.

• Adheres to Wound Care Nurse standards of practice.

Evaluation:

• Records patient care delivered as planned and any variation, with appropriate rationale; makes and records observations related to impending or associated problems; implements nursing measures related to impending or associated problems.

• Develops and implements tools to ensure effectiveness of wound care program on an ongoing basis, including chart review and monitoring of Outcome Based Quality Improvement ("OBQI") and Outcome Based Quality Management ("OBQM") data.

Leadership:

• Establishes standards of care and clinical competencies to meet patient needs and training programs to ensure clinical expertise.

• Develops, coordinates, and monitors wound care program, working to improve clinical outcomes.

• Establishes policies and procedures in quality, cost-efficient, and effective wound care for all clinical staff.

• Works with vendors to maintain a cost-effective wound care formulary.

• Demonstrates active participation in Quality Improvement (QI) processes, responsible for performance improvement related to wound care nursing.

• Maintains membership and active involvement in relevant professional societies such as the Oncology Nursing Society, WOCN Society, and Advanced Wound Care Association.

Qualifications

Your qualifications should include:

• Graduate of an accredited program of nursing; Bachelor of Science degree in nursing is required, Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) preferred

• Minimum of two years previous experience in oncology and/or medical-surgical units

• Active Registered Nurse (RN) license in the applicable state.

• Graduate from an accredited Wound, Ostomy, and Continence program. Wound Care (WC) certification is required; Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurse (WOCN) certification is strongly preferred.

• Current CPR certification

• Oncology Nursing Society’s (ONS) Chemotherapy Certified preferred

• Experience in a multi-disciplinary approach to patient care

• Experience in infusion therapy-related skills including peripheral and central lines

• Membership and active involvement in the Oncology Nursing Society

• Membership and active involvement in the WOCN Society

• Membership and active involvement in the Advanced Wound Care Association

City of Hope is an equal opportunity employer. To learn more about our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, please click here.

To learn more about our comprehensive benefits, click here: Benefits Information