Last updated on 6/19/24 | First published on 6/17/24 | Literature review current through Aug. 2024
[cite]
Authors:
Tiffany Hamm BSN, RN, CWS, ACHRN, UHMSADS,
Elaine Horibe Song MD, PhD, MBA,
more...
Coauthor(s)
Elaine Horibe Song, MD, PhD, MBACo-Founder and Editor, Wound Reference, Inc;
Professor (Affiliate), Division of Plastic Surgery, Federal University of Sao Paulo;
Chair, Association for the Advancement of Wound Care;
Google Scholar Profile
Disclosures: Nothing to disclose
Tiffany Hamm, BSN, RN, CWS, ACHRN, UHMSADS
Chief Nursing Officer, Wound Reference, IncDisclosures: Nothing to disclose
Editors
INTRODUCTION
This topic provides a sample job description for the role of Wound Care Manager in the United States. It serves as a starting point for organizations to tailor according to their specific needs and care settings.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title: Wound Care Manager
Location: [Insert Location]
Employee: [Name]
Date: [Date]
Reports to: [Insert Supervisor's Title]
Status: [ ] Exempt [ ] Non-Exempt
The Wound Care Manager is responsible for overseeing the quality of wound care services provided, monitoring clinical standards, and ensuring compliance with organizational performance standards. This role involves independent decision-making and collaboration with leadership, departments, and physicians to enhance patient care within the wound care program. The Manager has 24-hour responsibility for administrative services and patient care for wound care services and facilitates the organization’s vision and values by setting professional standards in an open, creative, accountable, non-threatening, and supportive environment. The Manager ensures safe and adequate staffing for patient volume and acuity and is accountable for the day-to-day operational activities of the wound care program.
EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, TRAINING
- Licensure:
- Registered Nurse (RN), physical therapist, respiratory therapist licensed in the practice state (or eligible for licensure)
- Basic Life Support (BLS) certified by the American Heart Association (AHA) required upon start.
- Wound care certification (CWS, CWCN, CWOCN preferred, as those are accredited programs; WCC at minimum, as it currently not an accredited program), or eligibility to obtain certification from an accredited program.
- Educational Background:
- Bachelors degree at minimum
- Master's degree or doctorate degree preferred.
- Experience:
- Previous experience in wound care management required.
- Working knowledge of codes and regulations governing wound care programs.
- Basic computer knowledge (Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and Windows)
PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS
Job Responsibilities:
- Consultation and Strategy:
- Serve as a consultant to interdepartmental staff to consider strategies and address wound care-related issues for their respective staff and area.
- Operational Management:
- Manage fiscal budget for the program/unit.
- Ensure safe and adequate staffing for patient volume and acuity.
- Oversee day-to-day operations of the wound care program.
- Assist the Medical Director in developing policies, procedures, and protocols for the wound care program.
- Help develop a quality assurance program with the Medical Director.
- Work with the Medical Director and Clinical Director to develop in-service programs for wound care personnel.
- Ensure an ongoing and effective safety program in conjunction with the Medical Director and Clinical Director.
- Ensure compliance with department policies and regulatory requirements.
- Coordinate unit-based orientation and education.
- Maintain ongoing, effective communication with multidisciplinary team members.
- Coach and develop staff to meet job responsibilities and complete performance evaluations.
- Clinical Management:
- Provide clinical oversight to ensure the quality of wound care services.
- Ensure that all technical personnel meet standards set by licensing and regulatory agencies.
- Establish clear performance expectations for all direct reports and hold staff accountable accordingly. Provide regular feedback to all members of staff regarding their performance in clinical and interpersonal situations. Solicit and use 360-degree feedback from peers and staff to enhance staff performance.
- Clinical Activities:
- Participate in patient care within the scope of practice as a Nurse as needed.
- Evaluate patient care through ongoing assessments, planning, intervention, and evaluation.
- Document patient care accurately and timely in the EHR.
- Performance Management:
- Establish clear performance expectations for staff and hold them accountable.
- Provide regular feedback and complete performance evaluations for staff.
- Coach and develop staff to meet job responsibilities.
- Quality Improvement:
- Support and lead performance improvement initiatives.
- Collect and analyze statistical data related to wound care.
- Participate in organizational committees and task forces.
- Patient and Community Education:
- Develop and implement educational programs for patients and the community.
- Provide education and resources to patients and families about wound care.
- Safety and Compliance:
- Ensure an ongoing and effective safety program in conjunction with the Medical Director and Clinical Director.
- Ensure compliance with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Department of Health (DOH), and organizational requirements.
- Organizational Responsibilities:
- Display leadership by modeling behaviors that support the Mission Statement, Service Standards, and Values of the organization.
- Participate in educational opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Contribute to organizational and departmental goals.
- Support quality improvement by striving to do the right things the right way the first time.
- Demonstrate flexibility and resilience in response to change.
- Individual Effectiveness:
- Maintain a positive, open-minded, and team-oriented attitude.
- Follow through on commitments and perform job responsibilities consistent with organizational policies.
- Communicate effectively and use resources efficiently.
- Make suggestions and support strategies to increase revenue and reduce operational expenses.
- Customer Focus:
- Provide services that exceed customer expectations by anticipating and responding to customer needs.
- Integrate a service focus into daily routines.
- Teamwork:
- Participate actively as a team member on departmental and organizational levels.
- Foster collaboration among team members and recognize the efforts and successes of others.
Job Specific Responsibilities:
- Primary Responsibilities:
- Oversee day-to-day operations of the wound care program.
- Assist in the coordination of wound care patients. Coordinate communication and collaboration with other departments and services regarding wound care.
- Maintain competencies, continuing education, and certifications.
- Perform patient care within the scope of practice as a Nurse.
- Oversee the quality assurance program.
- Collaborate with the Medical Director and Clinical Director on the safety program.
- Participate in organizational committees and task forces.
- Engage in professional development by reviewing wound care literature.
- Assessment:
- Use professional judgment in problem-solving and decision-making.
- Initiate a nursing assessment of the patient's condition upon admission.
- Assess and interpret reports, communicating findings with assigned physicians.
- Organize and record assessment data in an orderly fashion.
- Assess, stage, and measure wounds accurately and in accordance with policy.
- Photograph wounds according to policy and procedure.
- Assess educational and discharge/referral/consults needs, and communicate to team members.
- Assess compliance with the clinical pathway and bring missing components to the attention of the physician or healthcare team.
- Planning:
- Follow the plan of care in collaboration with the patient care team.
- Provide care considering patient/family needs.
- Review orders and treatment plan with patient/family
- Intervention:
- Identify patient care situations that require intervention, implement nursing actions, and evaluate responses.
- Identify patient/family education needs, and implement a teaching plan of care.
- Document a plan of care accurately for all assigned patients.
- Identify the patient's present and potential problems from the assessment.
- Collaborate with providers to develop a plan of care based on assessment data.
- Prioritize problems according to impact on health status.
- Formulate desired outcomes specific to the patient's problems and organizational protocols.
- Ensure desired outcomes are mutually agreed upon by the patient, family, and the nurse.
- Identify home health care needs, evaluate support systems, and identify patient teaching needs from admission to discharge.
- Participate in implementing planned changes and activities to improve care.
- Implement wound care and HBOT protocols when clinically indicated.
- Assist the physician with wound management.
- Evaluation:
- Evaluate patient’s response to treatment using knowledge of disease process and patient history.
- Evaluate progress on the plan of care and continued learning needs.
- Documentation and Coordination:
- Accurately complete documentation and ensure that all orders and changes are initiated accurately.
- Coordinate activities with other disciplines (Rehab, Nutrition, Diabetic education, Home Health, DME, nursing homes, and other ancillary services).
- Evaluate the achievement or lack of achievement of desired outcomes.
- Function as a case manager for a designated patient population.
- Coordinate office visits, pre-procedure work-ups, and patient education with the multidisciplinary team.
- Foster continuity of care between organization and caretakers (home, hospital, home health, etc.).
- Other Responsibilities:
- Demonstrate flexibility in meeting department staffing needs.
- Identify staffing needs using scheduling guidelines.
- Participate in new employee orientation.
- Maintain clinical expertise in the area of specialty.
- Participate in performance improvement activities.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
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NOTE: This is a controlled document. This document is not a substitute for proper training, experience, and exercising of professional judgment. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the contents, neither the authors nor the Wound Reference, Inc. give any guarantee as to the accuracy of the information contained in them nor accept any liability, with respect to loss, damage, injury or expense arising from any such errors or omissions in the contents of the work.
