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 Registered Nurse 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 Registered Nurse
Location: [Insert Location]
Employee: [Name]
Date: [Date]
Reports to: [Insert Supervisor's Title]
Status: [ ] Exempt [ ] Non-Exempt
The Wound Care Registered Nurse (RN) is responsible for treating patients with acute or chronic wounds. The RN provides expert wound care and management in various healthcare settings, such as hospitals, wound care centers, assisted living facilities, home health settings, clinics, or other healthcare environments. The RN collaborates with physicians and other care team members to prevent disease, promote healing, and ensure the highest standards of wound care are maintained.
EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, TRAINING
- Must hold a current nursing license in the state in which the nurse is practicing (RN)
- Current Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) certificate
- Wound care experience preferred
- 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.
- Should have a working understanding of the codes and regulations that govern the operation of a wound care program.
PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS
Job Responsibilities:
The Registered Nurse has authority, responsibility and accountability as follows:
- Assisting the Medical Director, medical staff and other registered nurses with the assessment, treatment and education of patients in the wound care program.
- Education:
- Accountable for patient education.
- Responsible for maintaining own professional competencies.
- Supports unit education through a variety of activities, such as precepting, unit in-services, and may also assist in organizational educational programs.
- Communication:
- Accountable for effective communication with patients/family, care team members and physicians regarding the patient’s progress on the plan of care and response to treatment.
- Staff Development:
- Participates in the orientation of new employees.
- Works in partnership with members of the team.
- Quality:
- Follows plan of care/Clinical Pathways assuring progression toward quality outcomes
- Collaboration:
- Consults with physicians and team members regarding changes in patient’s condition.
- Supports roles of all co-workers.
- Maintains effective relationships with primary and consulting physicians.
- Organizational Responsibilities:
- Displays leadership by modeling behaviors that support the Mission Statement, Service Standards, and Values Related Behaviors of the organization.
- Uses effective interpersonal skills to develop positive working relationships.
- Participates in educational opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Contributes to organizational and departmental goals.
- Supports quality improvement by striving to do the right things the right way the first time.
- Uses quality tools and techniques as appropriate.
- Demonstrates flexibility and resilience in response to change
- Individual Effectiveness:
- Maintains a positive, open-minded, and team-oriented attitude.
- Follows through on commitments.
- Performs job responsibilities in a manner consistent with organizational policies.
- Communicates effectively with others.
- Uses resources effectively and efficiently.
- Makes suggestions and supports the implementation of strategies to increase revenue and/or reduce operational expenses.
- Customer Focus:
- Focuses efforts to provide services that exceed the expectations of our customers by anticipating and responding to customer needs.
- Sees customer satisfaction as a key measure of success.
- Integrates service focus into daily routine.
- Teamwork:
- Models teamwork by participating actively as a team member on a departmental and organizational level.
- Fosters collaboration among team members.
- Recognizes the efforts and successes of other individuals and teams.
Job Specific Responsibilities:
- Primary Responsibilities:
- Perform patient care within the scope of practice as an RN, keeping complete and accurate patient records related to assessment, treatments, and documentation of care in a timely manner.
- Assist in the coordination of wound care patients.
- Assist in the day-to-day operation of the wound care program.
- Maintain competencies, continuing education, and certifications appropriate to the position.
- Participate in quality assurance programs as requested by the Clinical Manager and/or Director.
- Participate in the safety program.
- Participate in the discussion and review of articles in the field of wound care.
- Assessment:
- Assess wound care patients within the guidelines of institutional policy.
- Assess the patient’s level of functioning on admission, transfer, and discharge, differentiating findings from defined limits of normal.
- Use professional judgment in day-to-day problem-solving and decision-making, seeking assistance from the Nurse Manager/Clinical Coordinator and peers as needed.
- Assist others.
- Assess a patient's educational needs and develop a plan to meet these needs.
- Assess discharge needs and communicate to team members.
- Planning:
- Follow the plan of care in collaboration with the patient care team.
- Provide care considering the length of stay and patient/family needs.
- Review discharge care with patient/family/physician and other team members.
- Intervention:
- Administer medications and treatments according to patient needs, physician orders, and policies, consistent with the scope of care for an RN.
- Participate in patient/family conferences as a member of the patient care team.
- Utilize patient teaching to provide new information to the patient/family according to policy.
- Collaborate with the Nurse Manager, Clinical Coordinator, physician, and other caregivers to provide effective patient care.
- Make rounds regularly on assigned patients.
- Document care in appropriate forms and the EHR in a timely manner.
- Ensure patients and their families are aware of team members' roles and introduce the care team on admission.
- Delegate tasks appropriately to team members.
- Evaluation:
- Evaluate the patient’s response to treatment using knowledge of disease process and the patient’s story.
- Evaluate the patient’s progress on the plan of care.
- Evaluate patients' continued learning needs and provide feedback to the Nurse Manager/Clinical Coordinator.
- Other Responsibilities:
- Demonstrate flexibility in meeting the staffing needs of the program.
- Utilize staffing and scheduling guidelines to identify staffing needs.
- Participate in new employee orientation.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
- Maintain clinical expertise in the area of specialty.
- Participate in performance improvement activities.
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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.