wound care without ostomy?

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Specializes in telemetry, cardiopulmonary stepdown, LTC. Hospice.

Do any nurses do wound care without the ostomy part of the job? It's usually listed together, but I just wondered if anyone focuses specifically on non-healing wounds or wound consults in the hospital without having to care for ostomies. Is that just an obligatory part of the job because it's an open area in the skin??

Thanks,

HoosierNurse

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Specializes in med/surg, wound/ostomy.

I am primarily a wound care nurse, altho I do have my ostomy certification also. I LOVE my wounds, and am quite happy with just wounds. I work in acute care along with a WOCN. (I am a CWON). We split the hospital in that she takes care of the ostomies and I take care of the wounds. We do help each other out, and cover for vacations and the like. It works out well for us.

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Specializes in telemetry, cardiopulmonary stepdown, LTC. Hospice.

That sounds like a wonderful partnership! I'm not against working with ostomies, I guess I just prefer wounds. In a few years I am planning on moving to the Boston area, and I presently getting my bachelor's degree. How does a person get into becoming a wound care nurse? Are there a lot of opportunities? At the hospital I'm at right now, there are only 2-3 wound care nurses for the whole place, but we do have a wound care clinic. I worked there for two months, and I would really enjoy doing something like that over working in the hospital (either one is okay, but if I had my choice...) I'm just not sure how to go about preparing to be a wound care nurse, and I don't want to hurt my chances of finding a job in my new city by pidgeon-holing myself, either. What do you recommend?

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Specializes in med/surg, wound/ostomy.

There are a number of wound courses out there. I went through the University of Washington in Seattle. Did the wound section first, was 6 weeks on-line and then three weeks in Seattle. Then did the ostomy portion which was all on-line, but then 40 hrs of clinical with a preceptor that I knew in my city. I would suggest a course that is acknowledged by ANCC. I have a friend that went through the Wicks course (I think it is in Boston), but felt that it was too disorganized and not taught very well. She was quite disappointed with that school. Good luck!!

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