Collecting Data to Advocate for Additional WOC Resources: You Can Do It!

Changes in personnel, management structure, and environment of practice were instituted. WOC nurses were asked to define the current and future work of the WOC nurse in an urban academic medical center. In our current healthcare environment, data is driving decisions for resource utilization. In order for WOC nurses to sustain and grow our practice, we must be able to produce and present outcome data. We reviewed the current literature and began to develop a needs assessment document. The document included the Clinical Nurse Specialist in Ostomy & Wound Care scope of practice. An inquiry was made to other like academic medical centers to determine the average number of beds per full time equivalent WOC nurse. Other supporting documents included externally reported data on pressure injuries, WOCN per diem work hours, estimated annual volume of ostomy surgeries, current WOCN consult volume, current and future work, and summary. In addition, we developed a database to quantify details regarding the workload including total number consults received, completed, and deferred. Collection and submission of data confirmed our belief that we needed additional WOC nurse resources in the practice. After submission of the document and data, an additional full time WOC nurse has been approved. We plan to continue to collect and summarize data to demonstrate improved outcomes for patients with wound, ostomy, and continence conditions for which WOC nurses are uniquely prepared to provide quality care.