Wound Care Nurse LPN/RN

Reports to Director of Nursing.

About the role

The primary purpose of the Wound Care Nurse is to provide day-to-day care needs of the residents in a Skilled Nursing Facility environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide hands-on care to residents based on the resident Plan of Care.
• Identify changes in resident condition and evaluate resident care needs.
• Perform strong focus assessments and maintain documentation skills.
• Evaluate and participate in the development of the Resident Plan of Care.
• Monitor the resident’s overall condition and provide care while maintaining compliance with facility policy and procedures.
• Provide primary skin care to residents under medical direction, with an emphasis on treatment and therapy of skin disorders.
• Identify, manage, and treat specific skin disorders, primary and secondary lesions, and decubitus ulcers.
• Ensure residents with decubitus ulcers receive appropriate prophylaxis and treatment (e.g., daily inspection, turning and activity, well-planned diet, clean and dry bed).
• Participate in developing and implementing individualized patient care plans with allied health team members.
• Implement total nursing care plans through assessment, planning, and evaluation.
• Administer prescribed medications and treatments according to policy and procedures; evaluate treatment effectiveness.
• Assist in maintaining a physical, social, and psychological environment conducive to resident welfare.
• Participate in resident and family teaching.
• Monitor performance of team members; engage in staff development, evaluation, and discipline as needed.
• Assign nursing care duties to team members and ensure completion.
• Remain current in facility policies, procedures, and nursing trends through in-service and continuing education programs.
• Recognize significant changes in resident condition and take necessary action.
• Document nursing care rendered, resident response, and other pertinent data per facility policies.
• Function as a charge nurse by serving as a resource, answering questions, problem-solving, and making decisions relevant to resident care.
• Adhere to all facility and department safety policies and procedures.
• Ensure medical supplies are available for wound care treatments.
• Remove dressings, clean wounds, apply medication per physician protocol, and redress wounds.
• Assess, document, treat, and dress wounds; perform daily dressing changes.
• Maintain daily and weekly documentation.
• Assess admissions and readmissions.
• Communicate timely and appropriately with wound doctors, family, Director of Nursing, Assistant Director of Nursing, and physicians.
• Educate family, staff, and residents on nutrition, skin barriers, hydration, turning, and repositioning to promote wound healing.
• Initiate care plans and complete MDS charting.

Requirements

• Ability to communicate and work well with patients and staff members.
• Ability to follow facility policies and procedures.
• Ability to speak English clearly and understandably.
• Ability to see and hear or use prosthetics to enable these senses for job requirements.
• Ability to work with ill, disabled, elderly, mentally ill, emotionally upset, and potentially hostile residents.
• Ability to remain current in nursing practice as applicable to the role.