Wound Care Specialist

Job Summary

We are seeking a skilled and dedicated Wound Care Registered Nurse to join our healthcare team. As a key member of our interdisciplinary team, you will be responsible for assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating care for patients with wounds, including chronic wounds, surgical wounds, and pressure ulcers.

Key Responsibilities:

• Wound Assessment and Management: Conduct comprehensive assessments of wounds, identifying wound types, stages, and related complications. Develop and implement individualized care plans for wound healing, selecting appropriate dressings and treatments.
• Patient Education: Educate patients and their families about wound care techniques, infection prevention, and self-care strategies to support wound healing and prevent recurrence.
• Collaboration and Communication: Work closely with physicians, surgeons, and other healthcare professionals to coordinate patient care. Communicate effectively with the healthcare team and provide updates on patient progress and response to treatments.
• Documentation: Maintain accurate and up-to-date documentation of patient assessments, care plans, interventions, and outcomes in electronic health records.
• Infection Control: Implement and adhere to infection control protocols to prevent wound infections and other complications.
• Clinical Training and Support: Provide guidance and training to other nursing staff on wound care best practices and new techniques or technologies.
• Quality Improvement: Participate in quality improvement initiatives related to wound care and contribute to the development of policies and procedures to enhance patient care.

Position Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing (BSN) degree is required. WOCN certification is required at the time of hire.
• Experience: Previous experience as a registered nurse is not required but is highly preferred. Previous healthcare experience in an acute or clinic setting is preferred.

Required Registration/License/Certification:

• License: Current license as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the state of North Carolina.
• Certification: Basic Life Support (BLS) - BLS from the American Heart Association is required at the time of hire.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Communication: Ability to communicate courteously and effectively with the public, patients, family, staff, and physicians and acts within the chain of command, utilizing positive verbal and non-verbal skills.
• Clinical Skills: Competent in delivering safe and effective patient care within legal limits of license and hospital policies and procedures.
• Knowledge: Knowledge of the continuum of nursing care provided in the patient care department.
• Customer Service: Ability to demonstrate exceptional customer service to patients, family, staff, and physicians.

Physical Demands:

• Lifting: Lifts, positions, pushes, pulls, and/or transfers up to and greater than 50 pounds.
• Manual Dexterity: Manual dexterity and mobility.
• Prolonged Standing: Prolonged, extensive, or considerable sitting/standing/walking.
• Bending: Bending, squatting, twisting, turning.
• Near Acuity: Ability to see clearly at 20 inches or less.

Working Conditions:

• Exposure to Blood-Borne Diseases: Regularly exposed to the risk of blood-borne diseases.
• Exposure to Hazards: Frequently exposed to hazards from electrical/mechanical/power equipment, odorous chemicals and specimens, and unpleasant elements.
• Irregular Hours: Subject to irregular hours (days, evenings, nights, weekends, holidays) and emergency situations.
• Continuous Standing: Continuous standing and walking long periods to or greater than 8 hours per shift.
• Speaking, Reading, and Writing: Speaking, reading, and writing, expanded to or greater than 8 hours per day.
• Exposure to Vibration: Exposed to vibration and cramped spaces to or greater than 1 hour per day.
• Mobilizing Patients: Frequently mobilizes patients to or greater than 4 hours per day.
• Lifting, Carrying, Pushing, and/or Pulling: Frequently per shift: lifts, carries, pushes, and/or pulls to or greater than 50 lbs.
• Bending, Squatting, Kneeling, Twisting, Turning, and Reaching: Frequently per hour: bends, squats, kneels, twists, turns, and reaches.
• Hand, Finger, and Wrist Repetition: Frequently per minute: hand, finger, and wrist repetition and moderate dexterity.
• Soft Voices: Frequently per hour, exposed to soft voices to or greater than 3 ft. away.
• Close Eye Work: Frequently per hour, exposed to close eye work.
• Ionizing/Non-Ionizing Radiation Exposure: Infrequently per shift, may be exposed to ionizing/non-ionizing radiation exposure including x-ray and microwave.

Benefits and Compensation:

• Compensation: Compensation is commensurate upon education & experience - range is $30.50/hour or more (depending on education & experience).
• Benefits: Benefits begin the first of the month following 60 days of employment from the new hire orientation date. This position is a non-exempt position.

• Comprehensive Benefits Package: Comprehensive benefits package to include health, dental, and vision insurance as well as HSA.
• Supplemental Insurance: Supplemental insurance to include short and long-term disability insurance, accidental insurance, life insurance, hospital indemnity insurance, critical illness insurance, identity theft protection, legal insurance, etc.
• Student Loan Refinancing Benefit: Student loan refinancing benefit and college savings fund as well as tuition reimbursement for qualifying employees.
• 403(b) Retirement Plan: 403(b) retirement plan with employer match.
• Paid Time Off: Paid time off - front-loaded for the first year for qualifying part-time and full-time employees (amount based on status and FTE at the time of hire) - paid time off accrual begins following the first year of employment. Cash out option also available for qualifying employees by meeting specified criteria.
• Paid Parental Leave: Paid parental leave - qualifying employees are eligible to use two (2) weeks of paid parental leave anytime during the first six (6) months following the birth or adoption of a child - to be taken consecutively.
• Employee Wellness Program: Employee Wellness program - Love Your Life - award-winning voluntary wellness program available for UNC Health Appalachian employees. Employees enrolled on the organization's health plan can enroll with our health screening (biometrics and labs) and earn program incentives. Employees who are not enrolled on the organization's health plan can participate in online wellness activities for a chance to earn quarterly prize drawings.
• Employee to Employee (E2E) Program: Employee to Employee (E2E) program - Caring for our own. Employee program that is solely funded by voluntary employee donations. The money is used to financially assist co-workers that are experiencing unexpected financial hardship.
• Employee Perks: Employee perks to include discounted rates for Dollywood, Biltmore, Tweetsie Railroad, etc. (subject to change).

About UNC Health Appalachian:

UNC Health Appalachian, the leader for healthcare in the High Country, comprises three hospitals, 13 medical practices, Seby B. Jones Regional Cancer Center, The Rehabilitation Center, and Appalachian Regional Healthcare Foundation. UNC Health Appalachian stays committed to promoting health in the High Country, enhancing quality of life, and simply 'making life better.'

About UNC Health:

UNC Health is a state entity and an affiliated enterprise of the University of North Carolina system, comprised of 14 hospitals, 18 hospital campuses and more than 500 clinics along with the clinical patient care programs of the UNC School of Medicine (SOM). It exists to improve the health and well-being of North Carolinians and others we serve and to further the teaching mission of the University of North Carolina SOM. Over the past three years, UNC Health has provided more than $400 million in uncompensated or charity care to the citizens of North Carolina. Our hospitals have received numerous awards and recognition for quality care, patient safety and the overall patient experience. For more information, please visit unchealth.org.

UNC Health Appalachian embraces diversity and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected status. We value a workforce that reflects a variety of backgrounds and perspectives, as it enhances our ability to provide outstanding care. We welcome and encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds and experiences. UNC Health Appalachian is committed to providing a fair and inclusive hiring process and a workplace where all team members feel respected and empowered. If you require accommodations during the application process, please contact us.

Employment at UNC Health Appalachian is contingent upon successful completion of a background and drug screen.

For accommodations or additional information, contact recruitment@apprhs.org.

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