A Versatile Framework to Quickly Implement Wound Care

December 2023

A Versatile Framework to Quickly Implement Wound Care-Specific, RoleBased Competency Programs Editorial Summary Establishing competency is a critical component of evidence-based wound care. However, developing comprehensive competency programs for our specialized field can be an arduous undertaking. A streamlined framework provides a versatile solution that allows clinicians to quickly implement targeted wound care competency programs based on staff roles.

The framework categorizes competencies into domains, classes, and subclasses, enabling organizations to identify exactly which skills are relevant for different positions. It incorporates recommendations from guiding bodies and allows competencies to be consistently updated as the field evolves.

Leveraging this framework, clinicians can work with team members to rapidly develop role-based competency programs. Gap analysis tools can further enhance efficiency. With competency checkpoints tied directly to patient care initiatives, organizations can readily demonstrate the impact of their education programs.

This modular, wound-specific competency framework allows clinicians to swiftly establish comprehensive yet focused competency initiatives for all wound care staff. Doing so elevates patient care through evidence-based practice while meeting regulatory requirements.

Introduction

S

taffing shortages have been a top patient safety concern.1 The need to quickly onboard new clinicians and ensure competent performance is compounded by the lack of a standardized approach to education/ training in wound care.2,3 It has been shown that organizations with competency programs have 40% lower turnover and 87% greater ability to hire the best people.4 However, consistently ensuring clinicians’ competency in wound care is challenging, given time/ resource constraints.

Objective To address these needs, we aimed to create a framework to quickly implement role-specific, wound care competency programs.

Method Dr Elaine H. Song

Ms Catherine T. Milne

Ms Tiffany Hamm

Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of WoundReference, Inc.

Advanced Practice Wound, Ostomy Continence Nurse, Connecticut Clinical Nursing Associates

Vice President, Global Research Development at The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine

Walnut Creek CA, United States

Bristol CT, United States

Rockville MD, United States

The method used is demonstrated by Figure 1:

Figure 1: Managers/clinicians’ needs, and role-based competency areas in wound care were mapped

Ms Nataliya Lebedinskaya

Ms Janis Prado

Mr Jeff Mize

RN, CWOCN, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan

CWOCN at Kaiser Permanente

Principal Partner at Midwest Hyperbaric LLC Co-Founder at Wound Reference Inc: Chief Clinical Officer & Business Development Officer

Concord CA, United States

Oakley CA, United States

Overland Park KS, United States

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Wound Masterclass - Vol 2 - December 2023

Using the Design Thinking methodology,5 the solution* was created as a module within a clinical/ reimbursement decision support web-application for wound care/ hyperbaric clinicians

Role-based competency templates/training modules featuring evidencebased content, continuing education credits, and skills were built

Playbook for customization of the competency program was created

Framework was implemented in several organizations

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A Versatile Framework to Quickly Implement Wound Care-Specific, Role-Based Competency Programs

"The need to quickly onboard new clinicians and ensure competent performance is compounded by the lack of a standardized approach to education/training in wound care."

Results The framework is a digital solution that enables organizations to quickly implement/manage/document wound carespecific, role-based competencies.

Use cases include ongoing competencies for:

Acute Care Inpatient Nurses

Certified Wound Care Specialists

HBOT Professional Certification

To achieve quality goals, a hospital implemented customized pressure ulcer/injury prevention competencies for 330 nurses, cutting down educational program development time by 80%.

To complement their organization’s generic competencies and ensure their own competencies addressed their job duties/ responsibilities, specialists implemented wound-care specific competencies, reinforcing regulatory compliance.

To address lack of local qualified supervisor, candidate completed a Preceptorship Module utilizing an in-person/ remote approach and met preceptorship requirements to become a Certified Hyperbaric Technologist.

Conclusion

accreditation and regulatory requirements.

A framework to quickly deploy wound carespecific, role-based competency programs and meet continuing education/ certification/ compliance requirements was successfully developed/implemented. Its versatility may help organizations address staffing turnover by decreasing onboarding time, and increasing talent retention.

Most importantly, wound care competency programs centered on the needs of the patient enable us to provide compassionate, effective treatment to those suffering with wounds. They allow us to serve as collaborative partners focused on activating patients’ innate healing capacities.

By investing in the professional development of our wound care workforce through efficient and adaptable competency frameworks, we can spread the transformational power of growth, knowledge, and purposeful skills.

Implementing targeted wound care competency programs utilizing efficient frameworks provides multiplicative benefits across the breadth of our field. For individual clinicians, clearly defined competency standards reinforced through continuing education elevate the care we provide by keeping our knowledge and skills aligned with current best practices. For wound care centers and organizations, structured competency programs allow them to consistently deliver high-quality, evidence-based care that leads to improved patient outcomes.

Standardized programs also facilitate meeting

© Copyright. Wound Masterclass. 2023

References 1. ECRI. ECRI Reports Staffing Shortages and Clinician Mental Health are Top Threats to Patient Safety [Internet]. ECRI. 2022. Available from: https://www.ecri.org/press/ecri-reports-staffing-shortages-and-clinician-mental-health-are-topthreats 2. Williams EM, Deering S. Achieving competency in wound care: an innovative training module using the long-term care setting. Int Wound J. 2016 Oct;13(5):829–32.

3. Corriveau G, Couturier Y, Camden C. Developing competencies of nurses in wound care: the impact of a new service delivery model including teleassistance. J Contin Educ Nurs. 2020 Dec 1;51(12):547–55.

4. Garr S. Integrated Talent Management: A Roadmap for Success. Research Bulletin. 2012 Oct 19; 5. Ferreira FK, Song EH, Gomes H, Garcia EB, Ferreira LM. New mindset in scientific method in the health field: Design Thinking. Clinics. 2015 Dec 10;70(12):770–2.

6. Mize J, Hamm T. Quality of Care Requires Ongoing Competency Evaluations [Internet].

Woundreference.com.

2021. Available from: https://woundreference.com/blog?id=competency-assessments 7. The Joint Commission. About Our Standards | The Joint Commission [Internet]. 2021 [cited 2021 Jul 15].

Available from: https://www.jointcommission.org/standards/about-our-standards/

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