Think Big: The Measure of a WOC Nurse is More Than Patient to Patient

Purpose: The purpose of describing one Wound Ostomy Continence (WOC) nurse’s practice innovations is to encourage the profession to take a step back from the bedside and examine the role of the WOC nurse in improving system-wide patient care.

Objective: While the success of a WOC nurse has previously been measured on a patient by patient basis, the role is uniquely suited for application on a broader scale within a health care system. This presentation describes one WOC nurse leader’s use of the “unique knowledge of clinical and organizational systems”¹ described in the WOC scope of practice, to impact resource utilization at a large level one trauma center. The appropriate use of specialty beds, negative pressure devices, and specialty wound care supplies were targeted for improvement.

Results: Moving the Equipment Team under Wound Care provided clinical expertise for specialty beds and negative pressure that saved the hospital $520, 000 in two years. The average length of therapy on negative pressure has dropped from 12 to 8 days. Standardizing² wound care supplies provided evidence-based practice³, standardized education of nursing staff, reduced the number of vendors and saved $22,000 the first year. WOC nurses are change agents when we think big.