(BPT) - If you or a loved one has a wound-, ostomy- or continence-related issue, there may be anxiety, insecurity, and a lot of questions.
Many individuals in similar situations are finding relief through the services of specialty nurses trained and certified in wound, ostomy and continence (WOC) care.
What is a WOC nurse?
A WOC nurse specializes in educating, preventing, treating and caring for individuals who have wounds, ostomies or continence issues. Certified WOC nurses are highly trained in treating these ailments, and they direct, coordinate and evaluate patient care regarding these conditions. In fact, research recently published by the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society shows patients receiving care from a WOC nurse are more likely to see a successful stabilization of their condition than those who are not receiving specialty care.
Another recent study emphasizes the value of care a WOC nurse provides. Published in the Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing, the research study examined more than 400,000 episodes of care and found that home health care (HHC) patients who were treated with the specialized skills of a WOC nurse improved dramatically compared to HHC patients without a WOC nurse. Patients under the care of a WOC nurse were:
• Nearly twice as likely to have improvement in pressure ulcers.
• 20 percent more likely to have improvement in lower extremity ulcers.
• 40 percent more likely to have improvement in surgical wounds.
• 40 percent more likely to have improvement in urinary incontinence.
• 14 percent more likely to have improvement in bowel incontinence.
"This study proves that WOC care results in better patient outcomes, which means patient survival rates are better and relapse rates are lower," says Phyllis Kupsick, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, CWOCN, WOCN Society president. "WOC specialty nurses deliver a unique skill set and are highly trained to treat wounds, ostomies and incontinence."
How can you find a WOC nurse?
WOC nurses are employed in all health care settings, for both in-patient and out-patient care. If you or a loved one suffers from wound, ostomy or continence issues, be sure to request the services of a WOC nurse.
You deserve to see an improvement in your health. You deserve a WOC nurse. To learn more about how a WOC nurse can help you, visit http://www.wocn.org to find a list of WOC nurses in your area.
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