Wound Ostomy Nurse
Iowa Health Home Care
11333 Aurora Ave
Des Moines
IAUSA
50322
Biographical Sketch: Mary Mahoney RN BSN CWON is a Wound and Ostomy Nurse at Iowa Health Home Care in Des Moines Iowa. Mary obtained her BSN from Drake University in Des Moines Iowa. She attended the Abbott Northwestern Enterostomal Therapy Program in Minneapolis MN in 1993 and became certified in 1994. Mary has worked in acute care for 21 years, and in home care for the past two years. Shortly after becoming certified, she was talked into joining the WOCN Certification Board by Laurie Lovejoy (McNichol) and served as board member, board president and PGP committee. She was recognized as Iowa Affiliate WOC Nurse of the Year in 2003. Her present employer, Iowa Health Home Care won the 2010 WOCNCB Employer of the Year award for their support of the WOC certified nurses. The WOC department uses software and computer documentation to virtually track all of the home care wound patients under their care in Des Moines area, and at their single operating unit agencies hundreds of miles away. This format of patient evaluation which utilizes numerous digital photos was the impetus for the current study of the intergluteal cleft ulcers. While this is very exciting to Mary, her true passion is the care of the patients with an ostomy. She currently is a member of the National WOC Ostomy Committee. She and a coworker started a local Ostomy Support Group and Ostomy Education Day for patients and families.