Per Diem Registered Nurse III – VCMC Wound Care

Ventura County • Ventura, CA

3d • Onsite

About The Position

Under general direction and established medically approved policies and procedures, the Per Diem Registered Nurse III provides care to medically complex patients in collaboration with an interdisciplinary team. The role independently oversees the wound, ostomy, and continence care program across inpatient care areas, including patient assessment, care planning, implementation, and evaluation. The nurse serves as a resource and specialized consultant on wound, ostomy, and continence care for patients, families, nursing staff, and medical staff, including care for draining wounds, fistulas, tubes, and altered skin integrity related to pressure necrosis, drainage, or incontinence.

The position conducts daily and as-needed rounds for patients with wounds or pressure ulcers, supports wound-prevention initiatives and nurse-driven protocols, and provides current wound-care information to interdisciplinary staff. It also contributes to staff education, performance improvement, evaluation of wound-care devices, and training.

Requirements

• Five years of full-time professional registered nursing experience, including two years of full-time experience in Wound and Ostomy Nursing.
• Current, valid Registered Nurse license issued by the State of California; must be maintained.
• Current, valid Basic Life Support (BLS/CPR) certification by the first day of employment and maintained thereafter.
• Intermediate experience with Microsoft Office products, such as Excel and Outlook.
• Intermediate experience using Cerner.
• Comprehensive knowledge of the principles, practices, and techniques used in advanced nursing care of wound care and ostomy.
• Comprehensive knowledge of federal, state, and local laws, rules, regulations, policies, processes, and mandated procedures pertinent to wound care and ostomy.
• Working ability to provide direction to others, self-direct continuing education needs, and serve as a positive role model.
• Working ability to function proficiently in emergency or stressful situations and maintain confidentiality of patient/client information.
• Working ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with medical staff, co-workers, patients, and the public.
• Working ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.

Nice To Haves

• Wound Care Certification.
• Completion of an accredited Wound, Ostomy, Continence Nursing (WOCN) program preferred upon hire.
• Bachelor or Master of Science in Nursing.

Responsibilities

• Assess patients, plan and implement care, evaluate patient responses, and revise care plans as needed.
• Independently oversee the wound, ostomy, and continence care program across inpatient care areas.
• Provide basic and advanced nursing care in accordance with VCMC/SPH policies, procedures, and the Patient Bill of Rights.
• Serve as a resource and consultant for identification, assessment, treatment, and prevention of wound, ostomy, and continence issues.
• Consult on the treatment and management of patients with draining wounds, fistulas, tubes, and altered skin integrity.
• Conduct daily and as-needed rounds on patients with wounds or pressure ulcers.
• Work with interdisciplinary staff to provide updated wound-care information.
• Co-chair wound-prevention meetings and support initiatives for nurse-driven wound-care protocols.
• Provide direction to others regarding complex health and patient problems.
• Provide patient and staff education, coordinate educational programs, and offer learning opportunities to patients, families, and team members.
• Participate in hospital and/or nursing administration care committees and serve as chairperson when appropriate.
• Review, identify, report, and correct deficiencies in practices, products, or equipment as necessary.
• Develop, implement, and document performance-improvement processes, including yearly wound-care performance-improvement projects.
• Serve as a preceptor for nurses cross-training or training in the specialty.
• Collect and analyze patient-related data, develop and implement interventions, coordinate care delivery, and promote health and a safe environment.
• Collaborate with patients, families, and healthcare providers to deliver safe, healing, and caring patient care.
• Maintain appropriate supplies and equipment and document patient status, interventions, and responses.
• Maintain and improve wound-care knowledge; evaluate wound-care devices introduced to the hospital and assist with staff training.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Benefits

• Bilingual incentive may be available depending on operational need and certification of skill; eligible incumbents must pass the applicable bilingual fluency examination.
• Educational incentive may be available for completion of a Bachelor's or Master's degree that is not required for the classification.
• Certification pay of $0.813 per hour based on scheduled work-week hours for each qualified certification, up to a maximum of five certifications.
• Eligible for overtime compensation.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed