Issue 4 • 2012
Departments
Features
President’s Letter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Conference
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Regional News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Technology and the WOC Nurse
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Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Member Benefit
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Director’s Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
WOC Nurses and Marketing
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Member Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Center for Clinical Investigation (CCI)
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Cover Story Empower the WOC nurse, enhance your team, and achieve even more positive clinical outcomes with the WTA Online Course!
www.wocn.org
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WOCN Society Board and Committee Chairs Board
WOCN Society Mission The WOCN Society is a professional nursing society, which supports its members by promoting educational, clinical, and research opportunities to advance the practice and guide the delivery of expert health care to individuals with wound, ostomy and continence concerns. Executive Director Nicolette Zuecca, MPA, CAE nzuecca@wocn.org WOCNews is a publication of the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society™ (WOCN®) 15000 Commerce Parkway Suite C Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054 888/224-WOCN www.wocn.org www.wocnfoundation.org Publication Date: December 2012
President 2011 – 2013 Kathleen G. Lawrence, MSN, RN, CWOCN Rutland, Vt. etnurse@rrmc.org
Accreditation Committee Jody Scardillo, MS, RN, ANP-BC, CWOCN Albany, N.Y. s4392521@capital.net
President-Elect 2011 – 2013 Phyllis T. Kupsick, MSN, FNP-BC, CWOCN Albemarle, N.C. phylliskupsick@carolina.rr.com
Continence Committee Margaret Willson, MSN, RN, CWOCN Hales Corner, Wis. midge.willson@hollister.com
Secretary 2012 – 2014 Dea Kent, MSN, RN, NP-C, CWOCN Noblesville, Ind. dkent@riverview.org
Development Committee Laurie L. McNichol, MSN, RN, GNP, CWOCN Greensboro, N.C. mcnichol@triad.rr.com
Treasurer 2012 – 2014 Carolyn Watts, MSN, RN, CWON Nashville, Tenn. carolyn.watts@vanderbilt.edu
Education Committee Shawneen Schmitt, MSN, MS, RN, CWOCN, CFCN Menomonee Falls, Wis.
Directors
2012 – 2014 Carole Bauer, MSN, RN, ANP-BC, OCN, CWOCN Detroit, Mich. bauerc@karmanos.org
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sschmitt@communitymemorial.com
Marketing and . Communications Committee Dianne Feeser, MS, RN, CWOCN, GCNS-BC Troy, Pa. John_Dianne@frontier.com
2011 – 2013 Mary Jo Conley, BSN, RN, CWOCN Hackensack, N.J. mjc998@comcast.net
Membership Committee Barbara Dale, BSN, RN, CWOCN, CHHN Livingston, Tenn.
2011 – 2013 Jennifer Gavin-Hess, BSN, RN, CIC, CWON Fremont, Calif. Jennifer.B.Hess@kp.org
National Conference . Planning Committee Joyce Pittman, PhD, FNPBC, CWOCN Indianapolis, Ind. jpittma3@iuhealth.org
2012 – 2014 Regina F. Holmes, MSN, RN, CWOCN, FNP-BC Loris, S.C. rholmes@mcleodhealth.org
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Committee Chairs
bdale@qualityhomehealth.com
National Public . Policy Committee Suzanne Collins, MS, BSN, RN, CWOCN Norcross, Ga.
suzanne.collins@molnlyckeus.com
Nominations Committee Margaret T. Goldberg, MSN, RN, CWOCN DelRay Beach, Fla. margoldb@comcast.net Ostomy Committee Mary Mahoney, BSN, RN, CWON Urbandale, Iowa mahonemf@ihs.org Professional Practice . Committee Sonya Perry, MSN, RN, CWOCN Charleston, W.Va. sonya.perry@camc.org Scholarship Committee Kevin R. Emmons, DrNP, RN, CWCN Camden, N.J.
kremmons@camden.rutgers.edu
Wound Committee Karen Keaney, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, CWOCN Paterson, N.J. karengfnp@aol.com Wound Treatment . Associate Committee Dorothy Doughty, MN, RN, CWOCN, FAAN Stone Mountain, Ga. ddought@emory.edu
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President’s Letter
President’s Recap of Strategic Planning for 2013 – 2016 Kate Lawrence, MSN, RN, CWOCN President, WOCN Society As the season plummets into winter we are faced with instability in weather, politics, the economy and the state of health care. The ripple effect of changes in the politics of this nation and in each state closely link to the business at hand of administering health care. Inherently this influences the orchestration of how institutions are functioning and mobilizing for the future. All of this instability eventually leads to the role of health care provider and the job that they are able to do for the patients in need. The health care business is in a constant dynamic pattern with mergers, acquisitions and downsizing. These transformations also influence the focus and function of our industry partners who so generously collaborate with the Society in meeting our members’ needs and our vision. Our members are challenged with constant change, time restrictions and an enlarging list of responsibilities which impacts the rate and depth of volunteerism that helps keep the Society strong.
Throughout the strategic planning process there are several major themes that have emerged that will provide focus for the Society activities.
Continued on page 4
WOCN Bulletin Board: WOCN Society’s 45th Annual Conference Registration and Housing Open January 2013 Spring Scholarship Deadline May 1, 2013 WOCN Society’s 45th Annual Conference June 22 – 26, 2013
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President’s Letter Continued from page 3
WOCN Society’s Mission Statement
Strategic Planning Session, states the following:
WOCN Society’s Vision Statement
These environmental influences alter the value of membership in a professional organization and they challenge the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society (WOCN) to be visionary and proactive in providing support for our members and our profession, while balancing the economics and business of the organization. Our Mission Statement, recently reaffirmed by the WOCN Council at our 2012
“The Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society is a professional nursing society which supports its members by promoting educational, clinical and research opportunities to advance the practice and guide the delivery of expert health care to individuals with wounds, ostomies and continence concerns” (WOCN Policy and Procedure Manual, 2012).
We accomplish our mission to promote educational, clinical and research opportunities to advance the practice and guide the delivery of expert health care to individuals with wounds, ostomies and incontinence through objectives focused on Research, Communications, Practice, Education, Membership, and Public Policy and Advocacy.
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Stability of the Society will be maintained by understanding the changeable world around us as we strive to fulfill our mission and maintain our vision. Stability is also achieved by adjusting the activities of the Society to focus on professional growth for our members to support the role of the wound, ostomy and continence (WOC) nurse in health care, as well as provisions of educational and resource tools to advance the clinical practice of WOC nursing.
Strategic Planning In September the Society Council (Board of Directors and committee chairs), industry collaborative partners and WOCN Society staff engaged in the initial process of strategic planning for the next three years (2013-2016). This is an evolving process that includes analysis of the current activities of the Society and vision-casting for the future activities of the Society based on our membership’s identified needs, our mission and vision and the current real-
ity of the environmental influences. Strategic planning gives the Society a firmness of plan, a direction in which to strive, and a focus on how to achieve goals that will benefit the member. Through the rest of the fourth quarter of this year the Strategic Plan will be clarified and organized, and the budget is projected for 2013 based on the first year’s goals. The final efforts when complete will be posted for membership to view on the Society website. Continued on page 6
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President’s Letter Continued from page 5
Throughout the strategic planning process there are several major themes that have emerged that will provide focus for the Society activities.
The difference is in the evidence.
Starting with the publication of the Outcomes Study, “The Impact of a Certified Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurse on Wounds and Incontinence Outcomes for Home Health Care Patients,” in the JWOCN, the Society will build on the current evidence and continue to provide evidence of the value of the WOC nurse. This will include initiatives to create public awareness of the role and value of the WOC nurse as well as promotion of the WOC nurse specialist in print media. As partners in promotion of the specialty, WOCN members will also be provided with tools to self promote which will be placed in the Empowerment Section of the Society website.
Fund the future.
Acknowledging that there is a continued need for WOC specialty nurses, the organization will continue to promote and support entry into practice via
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education and certification. To support both basic WOC nursing education and advanced practice education, efforts will continue in the areas of scholarship provision and funding the scholarship process. This will include engagement of our members, interested industry partners and interested public.
The WOC nurse as the leader in provision of wound, ostomy and continence care.
Recognition of the value of maximizing clinical, research, educational and public policy opportunities for our specialty practice, the Society will continue to participate in collaborations with like-minded organizations such as the ANA, UOAA, WCET, CAET and NPUAP to name a few. Focusing the spotlight on our members as the leaders, educators and experts in WOC care is also a priority. Tools such as the Wound Treatment Associate (WTA) Program and the Webinar Series of the Basics (IAD, Ostomy Primer and Basic Wound Care) are provided with the intent that the WOC nurse specialist will utilize these
Stability of the Society will be maintained by understanding the changeable world around us as we strive to fulfill our mission and maintain our vision.
types of prepackaged products to promote themselves as the resource for quality education and expertise. One final thought to share with you: At the WOCN Society’s 44th Annual Conference in June during the Opening Keynote, The WOC Nurse’s Role in Leading the Charge to Improve Health Care, Linda Burnes Bolton, DrPH, RN, FAAN, challenged the audience to understand and utilize the IOM Future of Nursing, now and in the future, to help support and drive the influence of nursing on health care in this country. The WOCN Society contributes to the evidence that nurses do make a difference. Please see our identified achievements that we shared with the ANA Organizational Affiliate group based on the IOM recommendations. View the WOCN Achievements to Date, in Relationship to the IOM Report.
As we head into the holiday season, that which celebrates the joy of light and peace, I wish you and your families many blessings and a Happy New Year in 2013!
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Regional News
News from the WOC World Mid-Atlantic Region (MAR)
• Dianne Moody planned and o Myra Ragasa certified in implemented a new hyperOstomy. baric oxygen therapy service o Kathy Merkh passed • Congratulations to our newly line at Augusta Health in Wound and Ostomy PGP. elected officers: Fishersville. • Meg Morrison now lives in o President-Elect Ann • Carol Watson attended the Bahrain (where her husband Roney Harrisburg Area WOCNEP. is stationed) and is voluno Secretary Sue Grafton teering at the base clinic o Member-at-Large – ComEastern Shore WOCN working in the immunization munications Maria Paz Affiliate (ESWOCN) of the clinic. • Our annual regional conferMid-Atlantic Region • The HRWOCN Team raised ence, hosted by the ES• Planned the MAR Confer$780 for the annual CCFA WOCN Affiliate, took place ence in Ocean City, Md. on walk “Take Steps for Crohn’s Oct. 26-27, 2012. Oct. 26-27, 2012 and had & Colitis” which was held in o Congratulations to Dot some exceptionally talented Portsmouth, Va. on Sept. 30, Goodman, Ann Williams, speakers. 2012. Wendy Surguy and com• Two new members are in mittee members for a the clinical piece of their Western MD Affiliate of the successful conference. WOCNEP. Mid-Atlantic Region • Several ESWOCN members • Our affiliate meets every Mid-Atlantic are involved in Save a Leg, other month. We met in HagSave a Life and are rallying erstown on Sep. 27, 2012, Region Affiliates together to create educaand Winchester, Va. Nov. 29, Blue Ridge Affiliate of tional opportunities in our 2012, at the Wound Clinic, the Mid-Atlantic Region local community. The goal where KCI provided the edu• We continue to reach out to is to educate health care cation. nurses working in the WOC providers on lower extremity • Our first meeting for 2013 field and to grow our affiliarterial disease (LEAD). will be held Jan. 31, 2013. ate which meets three times • Member Taryn Bennett has a year in January, May and Hampton Roads Affiliate been working with Dr. Bell October. (HRWOCN) of the to form a chapter of Save a • Our monthly Ostomy SupMid-Atlantic Region Limb, Save a Life (SALSAL). port Group meets in Char• Members who recently como Meetings are being held lottesville and continues to pleted WOC certification: in the Cumberland area. grow. o Jamie F. Clements como Further details are forth• Connie Summy completed pleted CWOCN educacoming. her RN to BSN program and tion and all three certifibecame certified in orthopecation exams. dic nursing. Continued on page 10 8
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Regional News Continued from page 8
• Cindy Sylvia attended the 15th European Pressure Advisor Panel Meeting in Europe. o She provided us with updates on research being done in Europe on skin changes due to pressure at the cellular. o Presented “Support Surfact Standards Initiative: Terminology and Standards.”
• APN Scholarship Awards to Deb Harris and Michelle Ashman. • President’s Award to Monica Koch. • Lifetime Achievement award to Paula ErwinToth. o Kudos to Deb Crawford and her knowledgeable team for an award winning fall conference. • The Marriott Hotel in Charleston, W.Va. will host the 2013 MER conference, Oct. 10-12, 2013.
• The NIA made a generous donation to Friends of Ostomates Worldwide. • Michelle Kaplon Jones spoke at the August NIA meeting about the WOC Nurse in Washington event.
Central Illinois Affiliate of the Midwest Affiliates • The affiliate welcomes new leadership: o President Lisa Harmon o President-Elect Rhonda Mideast Region Kistler (MER) • Oct. 2, 2012, “Ostomy Chal• Welcome to our new Board lenges in Clinical Practice” members: o Half-day, 4 contact hour Midwest Affiliates o President Kelly program for WOC and Northern Illinois Affiliate Jaszarowski community nurses. o President-Elect Lisa Kirk (NIA) of the Midwest o Program included: SurAffiliates o Secretary Judy Mosier gical Management of o Trustee #2 Katherine Zim- • Secretary and treasurer posiBladder Cancer; Stoma tions are up for election. nicki construction in the Obese o Trustee #4 Michele Beck • A Public Policy and AdvocaPatient; Troublesome cy Committee was created. • The fantastic 2012 MER tubes-Tube Management th • The 15 Annual Professional Conference: The Grand for the Nursing Team; Education Day for NIA memEvent: Navigating the Rapid “Hands on” Ostomy bers was held in September. Changes in WOCN Practice Session. o Speakers included Jan took place in Grand Rapids, Colwell, Dr. Marc Singer, Mich., Sept. 27-28, 2012. Iowa Affiliate of the Sharon Baranoski, and o Poster presenters were Midwest Affiliates Dr. Joyce Black. Kim Butana and Cecilia • Effective January 2013: o The Board raffled the Krusling, Marcia Calhoun, o Secretary Zoe Bishop registration fee for the Becky Gute, Barbara o Treasurer Tami Hoyt WOCN Society’s 45th AnPieper, Jennifer Huffman • Our annual fall conference nual Conference in Seand Mary Ann Sammon. was held in September. attle and the 2013 WOCN o The following awards Topics covered were stoma membership fee. were presented: siting, incontinence updates, extra manifestations of IBD, 10
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SOPE panel update and North Central photography in litigation. Region (NCR) • Twenty members attended • Welcome to our new leaderthe WOCN Society’s 44th ship: Annual Conference. Several o President Shirley Stille were involved by speaking, o President-Elect Kathy displaying posters and servDemmer ing on national committees. • We would like to thank the • Bev Folkedahl was prewebWOC Nursing Educasented with the Iowa WOCN tion Program for hosting our Affiliate Presidential Award. Fall Regional Conference in • Laurie Callan was named Bloomington, Minn. Topics Iowa WOC Nurse of the Year on both days cover WOC 2012. and foot care topics. o First day targeted Staff St. Louis Affiliate of the Nurses “Fall for WOC Midwest Affiliates Nursing.” • The St. Louis Affiliate just o Second day targeted completed a seminar in CWOCNs/CFCNs “HarSt. Louis and educated 61 vesting Knowledge.” nurses and affiliated staff on • Check out our updated webwound and ostomy care. site at www.northcentralre• We plan to hold another “St. gion.org! Louis Affiliate WOCN Wound & Ostomy Seminar” in 2013. • We will be holding a WOCN Northeast Region Christmas Meeting in De(NER) Affiliates cember. Garden State o Planning to donate to the Affiliate of the NER United Ostomy Associa- • At the Sept. 5, 2012 affiliate tion. meeting: o Review 2013 accomplisho Completed a competency ments at the St. Louis on compression wraps. Affiliate website. o Raffled off $250 to two members to help with NER Annual Conference: Learning from our Journey expenses.
• Janet Munoz received the New Research Member Grant in 2011. o Study was titled “The Efficacy of Gum Chewing and Reducing PostOperative Ileus” and was presented at the WOCN Society’s 44th Annual Conference. It will be published in the JWOCN. o Her poster on “Developing a Protocol to Prevent Nasal Bridge Pressure Ulcers in the Continuous BIPAP Patient” has been accepted for presentation at the NDNQI National Conference in 2013. • Bard sponsored the Nov. 7, 2012 meeting; topic was “The Use of Condom Catheters.” Capital Region Affiliate of the NER • Provided scholarships to members requesting attendance to the national conference. • Affiliate meetings are scheduled for the 3rd Wednesday of each month with a Holiday Party scheduled for December. • Have begun planning our yearly local conference. • Currently the affiliate is reviewing our bylaws.
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Regional News • Our July 21 Wellness Day Pacific Coast was a great experience. Region (PCR) Members participated in • Welcome new elected offiYoga, Reike and Tai–Chi cers: conducted by our own yoga o President Lisa Foster and Reike masters Mary o Education Coordinator Donovan and Claudia WeinDaphne Weiland er. o Secretary Teresa Renteria • Our Fall Meeting was held o Communications Coordion Nov. 8, 2012, with educanator Jennifer Reynolds tional component provided o Nominations Committee by Medline with speaker Chungmie Shih and Linda Frank Woo. Shiraish • Thank you to our outgoWestern PA Affiliate ing president Cheryl Bar(WPA) of the NER tholomew for all your hard • We conducted competenwork these past two years. cies and elections at our You will be greatly missed. September meeting. • The annual conference will Metro NY Affiliate o Sandy Hartman was be held at the Pasadena Hilof the NER elected as presidentton Feb. 28 – March 2, 2013, • Metro NY held elections and elect. with a post-conference welcome to: • We worked with the local debridement workshop on o President Kathleen Franostomy association to estabMarch 3, 2013. cis lish a scholarship for WOC • Watch your mail for the o Vice-President Brenda nurse education in our area. conference brochure and/or Cohen • A donation was made to check our website at http:// o Secretary Marcy Suba Friends of Ostomates Worldwww.pcr.org/conference. • Two of our nurses, Yanick wide. html Martelly and Lyndhia Isaac • At our Nov. 15, 2012 meetare working on our Haiti projing, ConvaTec presented on PCR Affiliates ect. At the request of one colostomy care at UPMC Hawaii Affiliate of the PCR of the medical teams out of East in Monroeville. Miami they will be involved • National Rehab held their 3rd • Our current leadership: o President Anne Jinbo in setting up an educational annual conference, on Nov. o President-Elect Terry program where CWOC 15, 2012, where Dr. Sabo Toba nurses will spend a week in presented on peripheral vaso Secretary Phyllis Adriano Haiti doing wound care. cular disease. o Treasurer Lokenani Souza • June 7, 2012 Maimonides • The 2012 WOCN Society – Metro NY Ostomy Sym Hawaii Affiliate Conference posium was a success with was held on Oct. 5, 2012. over 100 attendees. Delaware Valley Affiliate of the NER • Bill Falone from our region has been instrumental in the new NER website. • Kathleen McLaughlin – Paoli Hospital, is a finalist for the Nightingale Awards of Pennsylvania in the Nurse Educator-Staff category. • Next affiliate meeting at Abington Memorial Hospital on Thursday Dec. 6, 2012, at 5 P.M. • Requesting nominees for the position of Recording/ Corresponding Secretary for 2013-2015.
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• Several members attended Shelly Burdette-Taylor’s Foot Care Course on Oct. 6-7, 2012. • At the WOCN Society – Hawaii Affiliate Annual Retreat for 2013 the WOCN National Office offered an in-service on “Surfing the WOCN Website.” • We will be planning for the Special Buddy Connection for Teens with Bowel and Bladder Conditions in Hawaii, to be held in spring 2013.
RMR Affiliates
unteered” to host our regional conference in 2013! • The SCR has an extensive Scholarships and Grant Program. To see if you are eligible and to apply, please go to www.scrwocn.org to review and download applications.
Tucson Affiliate of the RMR • Our Fall Conference was held Sept. 22, 2012. We had a great turn out with 85 attendees. • Thank you to our speakers Joyce Norman, Laura Elliot, Tonda Franklin, Ann Durnal, Karen Fowler and panel participants Sarah Kuser and Southeast Region (SER) • Over 275 WOC nurses Marty Cobb. attended the 2012 SER • Special thanks to our conferConference: WOC Nurses ence committee co-chairs Embracing Change with Terri Oulette and Tonda Southern Grace. Franklin and to all the com• The pre-conference certificamittees, members, and “Mele Kalikimaka and Makation course was led by Doroindustry partners who made hiki Hou” – Merry Christmas thy Doughty; over 40 nurses our conference a success! and a Happy New Year from attended. the WOCN Society - Hawaii South Central Region (SCR) • Joanne Burtner, Beth HardeAffiliate man, Jane Mansfield, and • Congratulations to Jean Melanie Owens received Cefalu, who completed her Rocky Mountain scholarships to attend the post masters certificate as Region (RMR) conference. an Adult/Gerontologic Nurse • Election results for the first Practitioner. Jean is principal • Over 250 people attended online vote held in October the Awards Dinner which investigator of a grant which (terms begin January 2013): included a tribute to Dorothy was accepted by CMS to o President Derik Alexander Doughty from past students provide education on skin o Secretary Jody Gabaldon and colleagues. Dorothy and wound care at nursing • The 2012 RMR Annual Fall was awarded the Georgia homes across the state of Conference “Advancing the State Recognition Award. Louisiana. Practice of Wound, Ostomy • The SCR Fall Conference, WOC Nurse of the Year went and Continence Care” was to Marie Gehling and the “Put Me in Coach! ‘Hit a held in Phoenix, Ariz. and Rookie of the Year went to Home Run’ with Evidencewas a tremendous success. Ramona Reed-Chism based practice,” was held • RMR awarded five confer• Save the date for the 2013 Oct. 11-13, 2012 in Arlingence scholarships and one SER Conference – Sept. 12ton, Texas. education scholarship. 14, 2013 in Charleston, S.C. • Our newest members from Memphis, Tenn. have “Vol-
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Conference
WOC Nurses are Driven to Excellence The WOCN Society’s 45th Annual Conference is headed to Seattle Brooke Bilofsky • Associate Meeting Manager Here is a sneak peak of five things you won’t want to miss in Seattle while you are in town for the WOCN Society’s 45th Annual Conference.
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Pike Place Market
Pike Place Market is one of the iconic attractions in downtown Seattle. Its nine acres feature fresh seafood, artisan chocolates, the first Starbucks and more.
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Seattle Waterfront
In downtown Seattle the waterfront is home to many attractions including the Seattle Aquarium, Washington State Ferries and many local businesses. Sit back and enjoy the view and people watching at this local spot with dozens of piers, paths and public spaces.
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Known as one of the best Zoos in the region and just 10 minutes north of downtown Seattle, is the award winning, 92-acre zoo that is home to more than 1,000 animals representing 300 species from around the world.
The Space Needle
The Space Needle is probably the most well known landmark in Seattle: take a ride up to the Observation Deck and get a beautiful 360-degree view of the city and the surrounding mountain ranges, from the sparkling waters of Puget Sound, to the Cascade Mountains, to the snow-capped Mt. Rainer.
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Olympic Sculpture Park
One of the best free attractions in Seattle, the park features sculptures from many artists as the grounds make use of the native plants and ecofriendly features to enhance your visit.
And these are just a few suggestions…Seattle is full of culture and plenty of museums. Take yourself to the Seattle Art Museum, Museum of Flight or Pacific Science Center just to name a few! Take in a baseball game, spend the evening at one of their many theatres or in just 30 minutes be in beautiful Pacific Northwest wine country. There are many things to do in Seattle and we can’t wait to see you in June! 14
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Photographer: Tim Thompson
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Woodland Park Zoo
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Technology and the WOC Nurse
Have You Ever Felt Like You Needed a Clone? Liz Brecht, BSN, RN, CWOCN • Marketing & Communication Committee Member
Do you ever feel overwhelmed? Do you feel like you need to be cloned to meet the expectations of your employer with regard to managing wounds? We all have been there. I work at Iowa Health Home Care in Des Moines, Iowa. After becoming a certified wound, ostomy and continence nurse, I assumed the role of helping the visit nurses manage patients with wounds, ostomies and continence issues. At that time, we had an average daily census of approximately 250 patients. I depended on the visit nurses to send me referrals for patients that were having problems or not progressing as expected. Our area of service was 40 miles in any direction from the center of Des Moines. Doing a visit for home care included chart review, travel, visit time, and documentation. I was able to see approximately four patients per day, but could not keep up with the new referrals. It was difficult to keep track of the wounds that had progressed and needed new wound care protocols, and difficult to follow up on the response of wounds to new procedures. I needed a clone! As it turned out, I actually needed two! We also grew exponentially by adding new 16
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agencies to our operating unit. The agencies brought a new challenge: how do we help patients in other areas of the state that do not have access to wound, ostomy and continence (WOC) nurses. Enter technology. Iowa Health Home Care purchased software to assist with wound management. We use the Wound Advisor from McKesson Provider Technologies. We now have all wounds and lesions referred to the WOC nurses, which eliminates the problem of getting referrals only at the times of decline or complications. The visit nurses do wound documentation, photos and patient focused assessments. The software prioritizes the patients into four groups: new referrals, current wounds that indicate a decline in condition, patients who need a two week evaluation and the rest of the case load.
to the photo and the physician history, and the wound care procedure is based on the wound bed needs and best practice. Further evaluations are triggered as the computer prioritizes the patients as mentioned above. I am now able to evaluate several new patients and do follow up evaluations on many more each day. We have three WOC nurses who evaluate over 800 wound care patients. We collaborate with the wound care team to keep the cost in check while making sure we continue to meet the CMS outcomes at or above the national standards. The technology allows us to evaluate the patients and yet still have time for staff education.
Iowa has many rural areas; patients in those areas often don’t have access to a WOC nurse. Would we rather see all the patients ourselves? That would be a resounding yes; however, is Patients’ charts are evaluated to that realistic? No. assure the OASIS wound questions are answered accurately, With technology we can the wound documentation is reach them via cyberspace. clear and correct as compared
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Member Benefit
Supercharge Your Education with Members-Only Documents! Emily Fest • WOCN Membership Coordinator One of the most powerful benefits of membership to the WOCN Society is its membersonly documents. As part of the Society’s vision to be recognized as the premier provider of wound, ostomy and continence (WOC) education to its members, our website offers a myriad of educational materials. Researched and developed by respected members of the WOC community, each document goes through a peer review or content validation process to resource to help you prepare ensure content is complete, for salary discussion or to accurate and representative negotiate a change in posiof current best practice stantion based on the national dards, expert opinion and/or averages. research. Also appreciating our • Indwelling Catheter Securenurses’ busy schedules, these ment: Best Practice for Clinidocuments can be downloaded cians, which explores the instantly. Available free to memrisks and benefits of securebers through the Member Liment devices for the indwellbrary, documents fall into severing catheter. al categories: Wound, Ostomy, • Procedure for Obtaining a Continence, Professional PracUrine Sample from a Urostotice, and Public Policy, to name my, Ileal Conduit, and Colon a few. Conduit: Best Practice for Clinicians that gives detailed Here are a few of the latest instructions on how to coldocuments added to the Memlect a urine specimen from ber Library: a stoma and can be used to • 2012 WOC Nursing Salary & self-educate and/or be used Productivity Survey. A great
as an educational tool for staff. • WOC Nurse Student Presentation (updated) This PowerPoint presentation outlines the resources and benefits of WOCN membership. These are just a few of the documents that the Society offers to members only. With the advancement of the health care industry and WOC nursing, we will continue to empower members with the education crucial to positive patient outcomes and career development. Check out these and other documents in our Member Library when you sign into the Member Center.
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Education
It’s Here! Purchase the Wound Treatment Associate (WTA®) Online Course Today Sarah Penn • Marketing Coordinator, WOCN Society The Wound Treatment Associate (WTA) Online Course is now available to purchase. This educational course is a WOCN Society-endorsed wound care program geared toward your non-specialty team! The goal is to empower you, the WOC nurse, enhance your team and together, achieve even more positive clinical outcomes. After completing the program, participants will confidently serve as an integral part of wound care team and perform risk assessments and pressure ulcer prevention, manage basic incontinence-associated dermatitis and skin tears, document wound status, apply compression wraps, and measure an ankle brachial index.
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The Online Course is facilitated by a Society-approved WTA Course Coordinator, who must be member of WOCN. The didactic portion is presented through online lectures and PowerPoint slides narrated by Dorothy Doughty, MSN, RN, CWOCN, FAAN, and Phyllis Bonham, PhD, MSN, RN, CWOCN, DPNAP, FAAN. Review questions and reference handouts are provided for each lesson. Following the didactic portion, participants will take a multiple choice online exam and complete hands-on competency testing where they must perform and interpret an ankle brachial index (ABI), complete sensory testing with a Semmes-Weinstein monofilament and apply a two-layer, three-layer or four-layer sustained compression wrap.
The course is designed for completion (including written final examinations and skills testing) in three months. The participant must complete the course within this three month period to receive the credits and certificate. As a WOC nurse, you can educate and enhance your wound care team by bringing the WTA Online Course to your institution. The first step is to talk to your administration about the importance of the WTA Program. Then, you can apply to become a Course Coordinator. Want to know more? Read the WTA Program’s Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about the program and the process of purchasing it. It’s Your Move!
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WOCN Nurses and Marketing
There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe; She Had so Many Children She Didn’t Know What to Do! Dianne L. Feeser, MS, RN, GCNS-BC, CWOCN Marketing & Communications Committee Chair A wound, ostomy and continence (WOC) nurse is knowledgeable, skilled and understanding. Thousands of people suffer from WOC related issues in the U.S. alone. These people suffer with what can be some of the most disfiguring, disheartening, disappointing, discouraging and even depressing conditions known to mankind. Many seek help from other professional caregivers and providers who, themselves, feel helpless to provide suggestions, answers and techniques to help these folks deal successfully with their conditions.
Education Program (WOCNEP) Sponsored by Wicks Educational Associates, Inc., I was called You might say to yourself, “I upon as a clinical nurse specialhave so many patients; I don’t ist to assist direct-caregiving have time to market! Can’t a staff providing care to patients committee or agency do the with extraordinarily challenging marketing for us? I’m a nurse; ostomy pouching difficulties, why should I care about market- perplexing wounds and intracing? What exactly is markettable continence issues. Deing?” spite over 25 years of advanced nursing practice, many times I According to Webster’s II River- felt helpless and not prepared side Dictionary, Revised Edito deal with these challenging tion, market means “to sell or conditions. I watched patients offer for sale.” The Marketing suffer because none of us Team and Marketing and Com- seemed to know what to do to munications Committee for the help them. WOCN Society are responsible The nursery rhyme “The Old for marketing the products and I recall a particularly challenging Women Who Lived in a Shoe” services of the Society to its mentally-comprised patient with portrays a woman with so many members. It’s our job, as WOC a high output ileostomy. A colchildren, that she didn’t know nurses, to market the WOC league and I were, together, trywhat to do. Sometimes a WOC nurse profession itself! We must ing to help the patient with little nurse may have so many patell others about this specialty success and much frustration. I tients; they do not know where and the services, knowledge remember telling my colleague to begin. To ease the stress of and skills it has to offer. one of my wishes after complettreating so many patients, it’s ing the WOCNEP would be to important that we, as WOC I know that we, as WOC nurses, meet the needs of patients such nurses, market the profession are our best sales force from as this one much more successto the upcoming generations of experience. Prior to enrolling in fully. The WOCNEP gave me the nurses. We need to ensure that Harrisburg Area Wound, Osknowledge, skills, understandthe plethora of patients needing tomy and Continence Nursing ing, and acumen to truly help
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WOC services will continue to get the care they deserve.
Why should wound, ostomy and continence nurses care about marketing? patients with their WOC-related needs. Not only was I able to provide care and support to my patients, but also to my nursing colleagues and interdisciplinary, physician and provider partners within and outside the facility I worked. By enrolling in the WOCNEP and completing my WOC nurse education, I was marketing the WOC profession to everyone around me.
“The opportunities for us to teach our colleagues are endless.”
There are not enough WOC nurses to provide the care so many patients need. We must use every opportunity to teach our other caregiving colleagues every bit of helpful knowledge we can in every single circumstance. Situations can include, but are not limited to: • Bedside • Nurses’ station • Classroom • Orientation • Staff meetings • Communicating with family/ caregivers The opportunities for us to teach our colleagues are endContinued on page 22 www.wocn.org
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WOCN Nurses and Marketing
Continued from page 21 less. One such type of opportunity which frequently becomes available is when we observe interventions being used which are not compatible with current scientific evidence. Here, correct information can be shared and the rationale for why what’s always been done may not be the best option any longer can be explained. For example, when we observe a hydrogel product being used on a wet, draining wound: the rationale for why this isn’t the best option and the explanation for why another product selection with more wicking and absorptive power would be the best option combines best practice with an educational opportunity. Now that I know what marketing is, where do I start? The Society’s website includes myriad resources for patients, nurses, caregivers and us as practicing WOC nurses. Start by exploring the website, which is constantly updated. This information can be useful to us as we seek to share what makes us special and ultimately help more patients. Much of the information offered on the site
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comes from your fellow WOCN members! Marketing our knowledge base isn’t necessarily something to be added to our daily workload. We market our profession just by sharing knowledge and understanding with patients. The more people who know what we know, the less patients will suffer. I can recall many times treating a patient where they would look at me and say, “Why didn’t anyone ever tell me this before?” Our patients should never have to wait for this information and continue to suffer when we have what they need to end their suffering and help them cope successfully with their conditions. WOC nurses must also use every encounter with our nursing colleagues to inspire others to enter our unique specialty. Many who see how we are able to solve vexing problems suffered by our patients inquire as to how we acquired our knowledge. We must direct them to WOCNEP options and encourage them to pursue a program most compatible with their
lifestyle. Patients deserve the highest level of expertise based upon scientific discovery and solid evidence to support interventions. If we as WOC nurses do not seize the opportunities to advocate for our educational preparation and promote our specialty, there are others in the marketplace who will seek to meet the needs of our patients with what may be inferior preparation. The old women who lived in a shoe was above the age of the average mother just as the current population of WOC nurses are above the average age of nurses in general. If we do not start to inspire younger nurses to embrace the specialty now, potential patients of the future will suffer needlessly due to a shortage of professional WOC nurses equipped to meet their pressing needs. Until there are no more patients suffering from inadequate wound, ostomy and incontinence management problems, every WOC nurse must consider marketing to be an integral part of everyday practice.
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Director’s Corner
Many Hands Make Light Work Carol Bauer, MSN, RN, ANP-BC, OCN, CWOCN Director, WOCN Society The common saying “many hands make light work” is true in almost everything you do. It is even true about the work of the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society (WOCN). In fact, I would be brave enough to make the statement that it is the way we do things here! One very good example of how “many hands make light work” is our soon-to-be released, updated Professional Practice Manual. During my term as a Director, I have been privileged to be the board liaison to the Professional Practice Committee. The project of revising the manual has been a long and sometimes difficult project, but with many hands the work seemed lighter.
• Tools for effective role negotiation. • Grant writing. • Writing for publications. • How to participate in the legislative process. As one can see by these topics this is a valuable tool for every level of WOC nurse practice. I hope you join me in purchasing this valuable resource when it is released in the spring. If you run into a member of the Professional Practice Committee,
congratulate them on the completion of this important project. I am very proud of this project and the tireless work that so many members dedicated to the manual. During this revision, we went through changes in the committee chairs and committee members. These new members stepped in to help with modifications of the manual. This did not deter those working hard to develop such an important tool for our Society.
To all of those of you who worked on the project –– KUDOS! It is a job well done.
Everyone within the Society is going to want to purchase this important, informative document. It contains numerous valuable resources to guide the practice of the professional wound, ostomy and continence (WOC) nurse. Some of the topics that will be in the manual include: • Design and implementation of the WOC role.
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Member Spotlight
Member Spotlight: Joanna Burgess Emily Fest • WOCN Membership Coordinator The first five years of a child’s life are the most crucial to what kind of adult they will become. Never has this been truer than for Joanna Burgess. At age three Joanna was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called rhabdomyosarcoma. Although the doctors gave her a 10 percent survival rate, she endured with a urostomy and went on to become a wound, ostomy and continence (WOC) nurse. Throughout her life she has used her medical crises to not only inform, but to advocate for all patients with ostomies.
so that she could go to slumber parties.
Joanna’s mother also encouraged her daughter’s dream to become a nurse. In the family basement she created a hospital where her daughter could tend to her sick stuffed animals. Each patient had a chart where minister, still regrets allowing doctors to give her the radiation Joanna tracked their vital signs. Both mother and daughter treatment which would cause created soda bottles filled with lasting medical problems. red construction paper and atAt the time of the urostomy sur- tached tubing for IVs. There was even a refrigerator where gery, the pouch she was given each patient’s medicine was had seven parts and had to be kept for their individually glued with body cement. Her When she was diagnosed with created diseases. father, not knowing a lot about bladder cancer in 1965 there ostomy appliances, called the were no ostomy nurses. AlIt was no surprise when Joanna manufacturer, Torbot. He arthough her family was living in ranged a visit with his daughter later applied for nursing school. upstate New York, they quickly at their Rhode Island location She completed her BSN from transported her to Boston Chil- and purchased a life-times sup- West Virginia Wesleyan College dren’s Hospital. Joanna recalled ply of the appliances. Little did in 1985 and got her first nursthat although the nurses were ing position at Duke Hospital in he know that the supply had a very attentive, they were also shorter than expected shelf life. Pediatrics. Ironically, one of Jovery nervous. Joanna’s prognoanna’s first patients was a threesis was not a good one. year-old boy with the same type Despite some physical limitaof cancer that she had battled. tions, Joanna had an active Her treatment included removShe watched as he was given childhood. She learned to play ing her bladder and creating the piano and the flute and won the same treatment: chemothera urostomy. She also had to apy, radiation, and a urostomy. the leading role in her junior endure investigational cheShe was in a unique position to high school’s play. Her mother, motherapy and high doses of give this boy’s family the supa kindergarten teacher, taught cobalt radiation which caused port and guidance only firsther how to change her clothes third degree burns on her lower without revealing her ostomy hand experience could supply. back. Her father, a Methodist Although this was the first time 24
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Member Spotlight Continued from page 24 she had shared her story outside of her family and friends, she was able to overcome her reluctance. That experience was the beginning of a life-long friendship with both the boy and his family. Despite growing medical problems in her 30s, Joanna traveled to Honduras to work at a medical clinic for seven months where she dispensed cold medicine and anti-parasitic drugs. Because of her physical limitations, it took Joanna 45 minutes to walk to the clinic where she worked. This was normally a 10 minute walk. The local people inspired her and gave her the encouragement she would need on the tougher road ahead. During the next two years she endured multiple surgeries, most of which were the result of the cobalt radiation she received as a child. She had bilateral hip replacements for bone necrosis and plastic surgery to her lower back to replace skin destroyed by the radiation burns. She also had bilateral aortic bypass grafts for necrosis of the main blood vessels to her legs. However, the colostomy surgery is what she feared the most. It would cause the most physical change in her body. Not only was she in physical pain, but it took a horrific toll on her mental and emotional wellbeing. 26
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For the next 20 years Joanna was unable to work. Through massage therapy she became familiar with a treatment for lymphedema which restored her leg to a more normal size. While volunteering as an advocate for patients with this condition, she partnered in creation of the first lymphadema clinic in North Carolina. Finding a new purpose, along with her marriage to nowhusband, Ross, gave Joanna the determination to become a WOC nurse in 2008. She now works in a small hospital where she finds great fulfillment in helping new ostomates: “I am honored to be able to tell these patients my story and to offer the hope that they too will adapt and learn to not just live but thrive while living with an ostomy.” When asked if being an ostomate gives her a unique insight that non-ostomate WOC nurses don’t have, Joanna absolutely agrees. For her and most ostomates she talks to, they don’t want medical professionals to “sugar-coat the facts;” the more information the better.
enhances the patient’s quality of life. She stresses that doctors are unaware of how the decisions they make on the operating table affect their patients for years to come. Joanna feels that WOC nurses offer tremendous support, guidance and education for their patients. However, not all patients have access to a WOC nurse after surgery. There is a great lack of outpatient ostomy clinics for ongoing support that may arise months, and even years, after the initial ostomy surgery. People are still using decadesold technology appliances with names like “black beauty” even though better options are available. Joanna has even gone as far as giving out her personal information to patients with a new ostomy, offering support once they leave the facility. She has even seen patients in her hospital’s parking lot in order to get their issues addressed.
Joanna’s life experience has truly informed her profession as a WOC nurse. Not only did she train and certify, but she’s been through the emotional rollercoaster of diagnosis, treatment and life adjusting to a new body. She also talks about how much She has overcome personal education is lacking for doctors hardships and has used them performing ostomy surgeries. not for self-pity but as inspiraJoanna notes the importance tion for her patients. If only new of stoma site marking, knowing ostomates were able to see inthat stomas change over time, stantly what Joanna has learned and how a stoma above the skin from a life of experience.
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CCI
Attention WOC Nurses.. Call for Proposals for the 2013 WOCN Society’s Member’s Research Grant The Center for Clinical Investigation (CCI) of the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society (WOCN) Foundation is pleased to announce the Call for Proposals for one 2013 Member’s research grant in the amount of $10,000. If you are a nurse and current member of the WOCN Society, you are eligible to be a Principal Investigator of this grant, and are invited to apply. Eligible international members may also apply. CoPrincipal Investigators (Co-PI’s) on the grant proposal must also be a nurse and a current member of the WOCN Society.
• PI Name • Topic you are considering studying • A statement of the purpose of the study • Email Address • Telephone Number
Who is Eligible to Apply?
• A current member of the WOCN Society. • Eligible international members may also apply.
Why Apply for a Research Grant?
• Improve your ability to conThrough this grant, the CCI duct research for your own and the WOCN Society aim to professional development. deadline a Notice of Interest to expand the existing research • If you work for a hospital that Linda Dahle, Program Associbase for WOC nursing practice is seeking Magnet status, ate (dahle081@umn.edu). This is and facilitate WOC nurses to be this grant will promote that not a commitment, and you can engaged in research as clinical effort. Your research grant notify CCI later if you change investigators. will enable you to obtain your mind. This will enable CCI research-based evidence to to send you any updates or answer a clinical question Notice of Interest! resources to assist you. and improve the chances CCI is asking that if you are of success for your hospiinterested in applying for a 2013 Please include the following tals’ application for Magnet Member’s Research Grant, information in the Notice of status. Research is conplease submit anytime and sidered a part of structural before the grant submission Interest email: Continued on page 28 www.wocn.org
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empowerment of nurses in the evaluation process. • If you are considering applying for graduate school or a PhD or DNP program, being awarded a research grant as a principal investigator will raise your competiveness for acceptance. • If you are in a Master’s or PhD program, this grant can be used to help fund your thesis or dissertation study.
Research Grant Proposal Submission Toolkit Don’t miss out on how this Toolkit can help you develop and submit your research grant! As a benefit to the membership, CCI developed a grant submission toolkit to explain to the novice WOC nurse the steps of the grant development and submission process. It is available online on the WOCN Society website.
Deciding how to submit a proposal, but not sure how to get started? The toolkit can help.
Not sure what to do about applying to the IRB? The toolkit can help.
Writing your research proposal and not sure what information to include? The toolkit can help.
If you received a grant award, you would not know how to start the study? The toolkit can help.
Need some additional resources on writing a proposal and mentoring? The toolkit can help with that too!
Grant Application Proposal
The grant application proposal is available on the WOCN Society website here.
Submission Deadline
The submission deadline for the CCI Member’s Research Grant is Monday, February 18, 2013. There will be no extensions of this deadline.
Questions?
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For proposal preparation and submission questions, please contact:
Linda Dahle, Program Associate Center for Clinical Investigation 612.625.8159 Email: dahle081@umn.edu
For scientific questions, please contact:
Dr. Donna Bliss, Director Center for Clinical Investigation Email: bliss@umn.edu