wounds, surgical wounds, malignant wounds, and end of life wounds.
Ostomy Specialists
These nurses are involved with ostomy patients throughout the intraoperative period and provide pre-operative education and stoma site marking, identifying the best site for the surgeon to place the stoma. They educate patients on disease processes such as ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel disease, and different types of gastrointestinal cancers as well as what to expect before, during, and after surgery with a new ostomy. Ostomy specialists often build lifelong bonds with patients and become pillars of support and trust.
Continence Specialists
As continence experts, CWOCNs can be found in continence clinics, assisting with urodynamic studies, and teaching pelvic floor therapy exercises. These nurses often treat spinal cord injury patients suffering with neurogenic bladder and lower urinary tract symptoms; they assist with management of tubes and drains including catheters( indwelling and suprapubic), feeding tubes, and surgical drains. Continence experts educate patients and other nurses on the importance of tube stabilization and care to prevent medical device-related pressure injuries.
Wounds, ostomies, and continence issues impact overall patient dignity and quality of life. Treatment is not one size fits all. CWOCNs are experts and the beacon of light at the end of the tunnel when a patient is suffering with a wound or continence issue, or anxious about managing their stoma as a new ostomate.
CWOCNs take a holistic approach to managing wound, ostomy, and continence needs. They look at the“ whole patient,” not just the“ hole in the patient,” and consider learning needs, learning styles, vulnerabilities, and social determinants of health such as housing, ethnicity, income, health literacy and access to services, food, and overall healthcare.
In addition to direct patient care and collaboration with other healthcare professionals, CWOCNs are also often involved in hospital policy and protocol development, product evaluation, nursing education, and leadership activities such as leading
incidence and prevalence studies, educating new nurses, and serving as subject matter experts.
Additionally, CWOCNs educate and mentor others seeking certification. They can serve as course coordinators and clinical skill instructors for the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses( WOCN) Society’ s Wound Treatment Associate( WTA) Program.
I have personally taught this program. Being able to teach and mentor others into a role where passion meets purpose is truly a rewarding experience. WTAs can be certified at multiple practice levels but unique
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