LPN's in wound care?

CarreBarreLPN, ASN, RN · Nov 5, 2012

hello,
I'm very interested in being a wound nurse. I just graduated with LPN. I'm wondering if i have to be an RN to be a wound nurse or if I can do it as a LPN? and if I can what are the steps to take and I also would like to know how it is as a wound care nurse. Is it the type of job where you go from place to place and make your own schedule or are you just employed by one company as their primary wound care nurse? also anything else I should know would be great!
Thanks!!!

Congratulations on finishing school! Check with your BON to be certain but generally speaking LPNs can be wound care nurses- especially in LTC. I started out as an LPN in a Sub-acute/LTC facility. I worked for about 6 months on the floor in Sub-Acute and then transitioned into a WCN. When I transitioned in I only had experience changing the dressings of my patients in Sub-acute. I didn't have much orientation but I took it upon myself to read all the product inserts on our Formulary and acquaint myself with each item. I also bought a few books on WC. I really liked Wounds Made Incredibly Easy and Wounds Made Incredibly Visual.

As a brand new grad and an LPN I would suggest being hired on at a facility so you acquire the training and experience that you need to be successful. Once you have experience you can check out WCEI which certifies all levels of practioners. Pesi( I think I spelled it correctly) offers an informative full day lecture on wound care that you might want to check out to start off.

I definetly suggest getting as much floor experience as you can first. One option to explore wounds is to look for facilities that are hiring weekend treatment nurses. You may be able to negotiate a plan where you work the floor during the week and then do wounds on the weekends (the added benefit of that is you can usually pick your schedule for weekend tx's!) This will definetly help you become familiar with dressings and be proficient at treatments. As you grow as a nurse and gain experience you'll learn everything else that goes into being a wound care nurse.

Hope this helps!

Carrie RN, WCC

kwest99 · Nov 10, 2012

this definitely helps. thank you!

LTCNS, LPN · Nov 11, 2012

It is absolutely doable! I am a LPN and recently started a job with a Hyperbaric wound clinic. I suggest you do some research on Hyperbaric wound treatment and look to go in that direction. It is incredibly interesting! If you find yourself wanting to check into it, a good company will give you all the training you need.

ljrwcc · Feb 8, 2013

Hey there Rookie. I got my WCC through WCEI, cost was reasonable since here in GA the certification is for 5 years. But you must have 2 years of active wound care and be a LPN for 5, so as for the setting HOME HEALTH, the job is very satisfying and here in GA the money is GREAT. I would suggest at least a year or two on a med surge floor of your local hospital or an acute care facility. Good Luck. BTW ther is the link for the WCEI. https://www.wcei.net/.

The very best of luck to you.

LJ Russell LPNWCC

mommy.19, MSN, RN, APRN · Feb 8, 2013

http://www.abwm.org The American Board of Wound Management offers a CWCA, certified wound care associate for LPNs. This certification is experiential, however, not like WCC offered by WCEI--- one week of class and an exam after. The week's worth of information presented sounds amazingly education but I don't personally feel it would confer a credential.

followyourbliss · Feb 9, 2013

Hi kwest99,

I am an LPN that works in LTC, Neuro Rehab, and a Specialized Wound Care Clinic.

My advice as to how to deepen your knowledge, experience, and confidence around wounds is a combination of all above with the addition of shadowing at a Wound Clinic/Unit. It is a wonderful way to network, increase your exposure to different wounds with different etiologies, as well as testing out who has LPN's and what the Scope is for that Clinic.

For me, the challenge of Wound Care and learning is EXPOSURE! You need to keep the volume up to: learn, differentiate, and build competencies around wounds. Once I took several wound care courses I shadowed at a wound clinic at the Hospital and was eventually hired :) The learning curve is huge, and very interesting. The ladies I work with have A Maters's in Wound Science in addition to R.N BSN. I trained on a Burn Unit and Vascular surgery, that is another very cool area to shadow: a Burn UNit.

There are wonderful sites such as Wounds International, Wounds UK etc, amongst many other reputable resources.

In the meantime may I suggest a few areas that will really benefit your Nursing practice around wounds?

* Diabetic Ulcers, and Neuropathy

* Venous Ulcers and Arterial

* the difference between infection and inflammation: in particular in chronic wounds

* Edema and wounds

* pressure ulcers!!

Keep us posted, and good luck :)

alina1235 · Jul 10, 2013

I have the same interest. I am a second term LPN student and so far I got absolutely fascinated with wound care. I am seriously considering perfecting this skill. I am going to go on toward getting my RN license, but will go ahead and get my practical nurse license first so I can start working in the nursing field. So glad to read that so many more nursing professionals are interested in the same thing.

Good luck to you!

Alina

Micki72 · Jul 31, 2013

I, too, am interested in wound care and an an LPN. I worked med-surg at a hospital for a year & am currently working LTC now on midnights. I am trying to find the best way to become a wound care nurse. I eventually will go back for my RN but am not able to at this time

pnkgirl25 · Aug 25, 2013

I also would love to do wound care. I have about 30 days left before I graduate and am really hoping to land a job in wound care. I know its not likely but a girl can dream....sigh

Court85 · Sep 12, 2013

Hi I am an LPN. I started in a hyperbaric department for a large wound care company. After two years they sent me for the WCC course through WCEI. I love it! Many LPN's have done the same as me. Of course you will run into that "you can't do the same wound care" even though you took the same course as the RN's. You can and will. I have run into that many times but as of now I have worked wound care for many years at the same center and am now the veteran wound care nurse here. Good luck!

gloustergirl · Sep 12, 2013

HI I am a LPN but I also found a course on line to become wound care certified for LPN's and I am now the wound care nurse for a home health agency.