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Informational/Educational Report
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Staff education tool: reaching beyond the walls Suzanne Creehan, Susan Beavers, Jolie Blankenship, Katie Hudson, Ann King, Tina Lucas, Renee Seaman, Helen Zuelzer Staff education is one of the major functions of the WOC nurse. In a large urban university setting, the challenges of keeping all levels of staff up to date with wound and ostomy information are complex and insurmountable. Classes, lectures, unit based in servicing, 1:1 shadowing experiences, on-line education, audio conferences, and educational symposiums are classic ways to educate However, the opportunity to reach every nurse on every shift became the goal The VCUHS Wound Care Team developed an electronic newsletter called WOUND CARE TEAM TIMES as a supplemental means of distributing information. The team members write this quarterly publication on topics pertinent to WOC areas of expertise. Each edition has a specific practice focus with supplemental material supporting the topic. It is sent to all nurses electronically. The following is an example of the 2005 newsletter content:.January 2005: Focus = wounds: NPWT, debridement, consult service, post hospital wound care.Arpil 2005: Focus = ostomy: appliance selection, peristomal skin care, new ostomy product, psychosocial aspects, types of ostomies.July 2005: Focus = pressure ulcers: pressure ulcer focus group, prevalance data, etiology of pressure ulcers, braden risk assessment, documentation and staging, F-tag 314.October 2005: Focus = incontinence: Why are we so worried about it, perineal skin care, fecal incontinence, a few facts to digest, urinary incontinence, new product FMS, team celebration Due to the positive feedbackrecieved from staff, it is now also sent electronically to all the home health agencies and long term care facilities that receive our patients Future: VCUHS has a requirement that nurses obtain 15.0 CEU annually. The Wound Care Team will partner with Education and Professional Development to add a CEU component to the newsletter making it a vehicle to assist in meeting this education expectation. |
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