Wound Care Specialist - Inpatient Wound Care - Full Time 10 Hours Variable shift (Union, Exempt)

POSITION SUMMARY

Professional practice for the Wound Care Specialist encompasses care for individuals with abdominal stomas, complex draining wounds, fistulae, drains, dermal ulcers and impaired skin integrity related to circulatory compromise and incontinence. The Wound Care Specialist integrates the roles of expert clinician, educator, and consultant in carrying out processes of assessment, planning, intervention and evaluation of patient care. The Wound Care Specialist collaborates with nursing colleagues, physicians, members of other hospital disciplines, and patients and family members to provide optimum patient care and services.  The Wound Care Specialist is the key liaison to all regulatory agencies upon visit for investigation or survey and facilitates required regulatory studies.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS AND CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Acts as a liaison for the patient, family and appropriate health care team members (i.e., nursing and medical staff, ancillary departments and management).
• Assess ostomy patient/family needs pre and post operatively to establish a plan of care, promoting optimal physical, psychological and social adaptation.
• Assesses and provides appropriate interventions for individual learning needs of patient/families in relation to cultural background, developmental status and sensorimotor skills.
• Assist staff in identifying pressure ulcers and accurate staging in conjunction with wound physician advisors.
• Assists staff in developing plans of care for selected ostomy, wound and/or skin care patients/families, based upon evidence-based practice and hospital standards of care.
• Collaborates with other health care professionals and community resources to facilitate continuity of quality patient/family care through discharge; makes referrals as needed.
• Collaborates with the departments of Performance Improvement and Risk Management to serve as liaison to regulatory agencies and perform required NDNQI preference studies.
•  Consults directly with patients/families to facilitate selection of ostomy equipment, vendors and community support services.
• Demonstrates the knowledge and ability to assess patients and complete other clinical responsibilities from a developmental perspective.
• Evaluates nursing care and institutes planned changes as needed to ensure optimal quality and cost-effective patient care.
• Instructs patient/families in ostomy, wound and skin care, addressing both direct patient care as well as lifestyle issues as indicated.
• Participates in developing and coordinating effective bedside teaching methods for patients/families. Participates in development and implementation of educational opportunities within the scope of practice to meet the community's needs.
• Participates in the development of hospital policies and procedures, standards of care, teaching plans and patient instructional materials relating to ostomy, wound and skin care.
• Serves as a member of Product Evaluation and Standards Committee (PESC), assisting with selection and implementation of equipment/supplies for ostomy, wound and skin care.
• Serves as a resource throughout the hospital and institutes in the management of patients with ostomies, complex draining wounds, fistulae, drains, dermal ulcers and impaired skin integrity.
• Member of the Education Team in support of the new grad nursing program.
• Membership in Hospital Acquired Pressure Injury Steering Committee.

Job Requirements Education Minimum (Required) Bachelor’s degree in nursing required. Preferred (Not required) Master’s Degree preferred. Work Experience Minimum (Required) • Minimum of two (2) years recent (within the past five (5) years) Wound Care experience (any healthcare setting) required. • Minimum of two (2) years clinical experience in an acute care setting required. Preferred (Not required) • Five (5) years of experience in Wound Care and acute care clinical experience preferred. Licenses and Certifications Minimum (Required) • A current RN licensure in the State of California is required. • BLS certification required. • Certification from the Wound Ostomy Continence Nursing Board (WOCNB) or National Alliance Wound Care Ostomy (NAWCO) required or within one year of hire. Pay Transparency The hourly rate range for this position is $48.41 - $76.69. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California Arcadia Hospital considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, State, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.