Wound Ostomy Continence Nurse - Ostomy
Health First Careers·Melbourne, Florida
Health First Careers·Melbourne, Florida
Provides specialized nursing care and expert consultation for patients with wounds, ostomies, and continence issues. Responsibilities include developing standards of care, educating staff and patients, and monitoring quality metrics to optimize clinical outcomes.
The Wound, Ostomy, and Continence (WOC) Nurse provides comprehensive specialized nursing care across the full scope of WOC practice, including direct patient care, education, counseling, research, and administrative functions. The WOC Nurse promotes safe, evidence-based, and patient-centered care to optimize clinical outcomes, support appropriate resource utilization, and facilitate coordinated discharge planning. The WOC Nurse serves as a clinical expert and consultant for the management of patients with altered skin integrity and complex wounds, ostomies involving diversion of the urinary and/or gastrointestinal tract, and incontinence of the bowel or bladder. PRIMARY ACCOUNTABILITIES Provides expert consultation to providers and staff for the assessment and management of patients with wounds, ostomies, or continence related issues, including recommendations for appropriate ostomy appliance needs, specialty surfaces, dressings, and offloading/positioning devices. Assists nursing in utilization of case-finding strategies (e.g., unit rounds, electronic reports, chart reviews) to identify patients at risk for wounds, ostomies, or continence issues. Identifies educational needs of the patient/significant other, clinical staff, and the community. Assists in the development and implementation of formal and informal educational offerings. Supports the orientation and precepting of undergraduate and graduate nursing students, clinical associates, and RNs seeking WOC certification. Contributes to the development, implementation, and evaluation of standards of care, policies/procedures, and clinical pathways related to patients with wounds, ostomies, fistulas, skin alterations, and incontinence. Participates on relevant committees, such as Risk Management, Clinical Best Practice, Product Standards, etc. and Assumes leadership roles, per needs of specific facility. Influences and supports research and quality improvement initiatives to enhance practice and outcomes (e.g., performance improvement projects, product evaluations), actively monitoring and analyzing quality metrics, per needs of specific facility. Serves as community resource for related support groups as needed to promote continuity of care after discharge from the hospital. Contributes to a positive patient experience as demonstrated by patient satisfaction and Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPs) scores, and through active participation in initiatives such as the No Pass Zone by responding promptly to call lights and bed exit alarms. Ensures accurate and timely documentation of WOC assessments, interventions, and outcomes in the electronic health record, in accordance with hospital policy and regulatory standards.
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Nursing (BSN). Work Experience: Two (2) years’ experience as an RN.
Registered Nurse (RN) licensure in the State of Florida or endorsement.
Certification: Board Certification Continence by the WOC Nursing Certification Board prior to start date and maintained. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS Physically agile; may require walking, standing, running, bending, stooping, kneeling, climbing, or crouching frequently. May occasionally include lifting or moving objects up to 50 pounds, with or without assistance. May require moving in different positions to accomplish tasks in various environments including tight and confined spaces, including reaching out and above shoulders, or overhead. May lift, turn, pull, push, or ambulate people and/or equipment with or without assistance up to 90% of the assigned shift. May be exposed to inside and outside environments with varied temperatures, air quality, lighting, and/or low to loud noise. May require working with biohazards such as blood/body fluids and airborne particles following OSHA and CDC guidelines. Communicating with others to exchange information. Visual acuity and hand-eye coordination to perform tasks. Workspace may vary from open to confined. May require travel to various facilities within and beyond county perimeter; may require use of personal vehicle.
ABOUT HEALTH FIRST At Health First, diversity and inclusion are essential for our continued growth and evolution. Working together, we strive to build and nurture a culture that recognizes, encourages, and respects the diverse voices of our associates. We know through experience that different ideas, perspectives, and backgrounds create a stronger and more collaborative work environment that delivers better results. As an organization, it fuels our innovation and connects us closer to our associates, customers, and the communities we serve.
Schedule: Full-Time
Shift Times: 800am430pm
Paygrade: PG-PG-PG-41
Market context
In Florida, nursing roles are typically in steady demand across hospice, hospital, and other care settings, especially for RNs who can work independently and adapt to varied patient needs. These positions are competitive because employers often look for current RN licensure, at least one year of experience, active BLS certification, and reliable transportation, while benefits commonly include health insurance, professional development, and a supportive work environment. Before applying, confirm your license, BLS status, and driving readiness, and review the AI-summarized requirements and benefits here to save time versus reading the full original posting.