Registered Nurse - Wound Care

We've made a lot of progress since opening the doors in 1942, but one thing has never changed - our commitment to serve, heal, lead, educate, and innovate.  We believe that every award earned, every record broken and every patient helped is because of the dedicated employees who fill our hallways. 

At Ochsner, whether you work with patients every day or support those who do, you are making a difference and that matters.  Come make a difference at Ochsner Health and discover your future today! 

This job acts as a registered nurse who uses the knowledge, skills, and abilities in the specialty area to assess, plan, implement, evaluate, and reassess the care of patients with wound care ostomy needs.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties.

This job description is a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the job and position. It is not intended to be a comprehensive or all-inclusive listing of duties and responsibilities. Contents are subject to change at the company’s discretion.

Education

Required - Graduate of an accredited school of nursing.

Preferred - Bachelor’s degree in nursing. 

Work Experience

Required – 1 year of nursing experience.

Preferred – 2 years of wound care experience.

Experience directly supervising or managing others.

Certifications

Required - Current registered nurse (RN) license in state of practice.

Current Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Provider status according to American Heart Association within 30 days of hire.

Preferred -Wound Treatment Associate (WTA) course completion.

WOCN, WCC, or CWS Certification or other approved wound care related certification such as a WOCN Society accredited educational program in wound management and/or certification by the Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Certification Board (WOCNCB) in wound care (i.e., certified wound, ostomy, and continence nurse [CWOCN]; certified wound care nurse [CWCN]; certified wound and ostomy nurse [CWON]) within 3 years.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSAs)

• Leadership skills.

• Knowledge of wound care concepts and the use of special modalities.

• Excellent interpersonal, negotiation, planning and problem-solving skills.

• Proficiency in using computers, software, web-based applications, and electronic health record.

• Effective verbal and written communication skills and ability to present information clearly and professionally to varying levels of individuals throughout the patient care process.

• Excellent judgment, analytical, organization, decision-making, and time management skills.

• Ability to use a logical thought process to formulate practical solutions to problems and manage priorities and projects involving multiple constituencies.

• Positive interpersonal skills and ability to work with a diverse population effectively and professionally.

• Sound knowledge of nursing practice.

• Ability to be self-directed and demonstrate good judgement in handling difficult situations.

Job Duties

• Provides nursing care of skin/wound conditions involving the identification, assessment, management, and ongoing evaluation of patients with alterations in skin/tissue integrity, that includes but is not limited to draining wounds, pressure ulcers, and vascular ulcers, and conditions resulting from incontinence, surgical procedures, and/or trauma.

• Provides patient care based on scientific principles/nursing theory and evidence-based practice.

• Provides preventive and therapeutic measures for patients with wound/ostomy needs.

• Collaborates with interprofessional healthcare professionals to develop appropriate plans of care for patients with wound/ostomy needs including nutritional and psychosocial needs.

• Provides patient education regarding prevention and care of skin breakdown, wound, and/or ostomy management.

• Provides education and delegation of wound/ostomy care management and interventions to staff nurses, LPN wound care specialists, and unlicensed assistive personnel adhering to the nursing scope of practice, policies, and procedures in the state of practice including those regarding delegating nursing interventions to qualified nursing personnel.

• Uses evidence-based knowledge and research findings to guide practice and develop strategies/interventions to manage care to achieve appropriate goals and outcomes for patients with acute or chronic wounds.

• Leads interprofessional teams to communicate, collaborate, and consult effectively; and ensure that safe, effective, efficient, timely, patient-centered, and equitable care is provided for the patient with an acute or chronic wound.

• Evaluates processes, policies, procedures, and protocols/guidelines for care of patients with acute or chronic wounds; and recommends revisions when warranted.

• Adapts behavior to the specific patient population, including but not limited to respect for privacy, method of introduction to the patient, adapting explanation of services or procedures to be performed, requesting permissions and communication style.

• Performs other related duties as assigned.

The above statements describe the general nature and level of work only. They are not an exhaustive list of all required responsibilities, duties, and skills. Other duties may be added, or this description amended at any time.

Remains knowledgeable on current federal, state, and local laws, accreditation standards or regulatory agency requirements that apply to the assigned area of responsibility and ensures compliance with all such laws, regulations, and standards.

This employer maintains and complies with its Compliance & Privacy Program and Standards of Conduct, including the immediate reporting of any known or suspected unethical or questionable behaviors or conduct; patient/employee safety, patient privacy, and/or other compliance-related concerns. The employer is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status.

Physical and Environmental Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Medium Work - Exerting 20 to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.   (Constantly: activity or condition exists 2/3 or more of the time) to move objects. Physical demand requirements are in excess of those for Sedentary Work. Even though the weight lifted may be only a negligible amount, a job should be rated Light Work: (1) when it requires walking or standing to a significant degree; or (2) when it requires sitting most of the time but entails pushing and/or pulling of arm or leg controls; and/or (3) when the job requires working at a production rate pace entailing the constant pushing and/or pulling of materials even though the weight of those materials is negligible. NOTE: The constant stress and strain of maintaining a production rate pace, especially in an industrial setting, can be and is physically demanding of a worker even though the amount of force exerted is negligible.

Duties performed routinely require exposure to blood, body fluid and tissue.

The incumbent works in a patient care area; works in an area where patients enter; works directly with patients; and/or works with specimens that could contain communicable diseases. The incumbent has an occupational risk for exposure to all communicable diseases.

Because the incumbent works within a healthcare setting, there may be occupational risk for exposure to hazardous medications or hazardous waste within the environment through receipt, transport, storage, preparation, dispensing, administration, cleaning and/or disposal of contaminated waste. The risk level of exposure may increase depending on the essential job duties of the role.

Are you ready to make a difference? Apply Today!

Ochsner Health does not consider an individual an applicant until they have formally applied to the open position on this careers website.

Please refer to the job description to determine whether the position you are interested in is remote or on-site. Individuals who reside in and will work from the following areas are not eligible for remote work position: Colorado, California, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, Washington, and Washington D.C.

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Ochsner is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any legally protected class, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.