Wound Care Nurses Launch "Place Your Care in the Hands of an Expert" to Raise Awareness

GVMH Wound & Skin Care Department from L to R:  Jodi Morgan DPT, Jettie Bailey Rn, BSN, CWON, Cami Lewis, Unit Secretary and Medical Director, Dr Timothy B. Gabbert.

Golden Valley Memorial Healthcare Wound & Skin Care Clinic would like to announce that April 18-24 is Wound, Ostomy, Continence Nurse’s Week. WOC Nurses are committed to providing quality care to patients and families who are dealing with conditions such as non-healing wounds, bedsores, bladder and bowel incontinence and ostomy-related issues.

Jettie Bailey, BSN, RN, CWON of GVMH Wound & Skin Care Clinic has recently recertified as a certified wound and Ostomy nurse.  Jettie has been a wound and ostomy nurse for 20 years. Board certification demonstrates that a nurse has voluntarily sought validation of expert nursing knowledge. A board certified nurse has shown a personal commitment to quality care and sought a means of self-regulation in order to protect the consumer.

The impact on patients and families can exact an enormous toll. The Wound Ostomy & Continence Nurses (WOCN) Society is launching a campaign to raise awareness about the benefits of specialized care. “Place Your Care in the Hands of an Expert,” highlights the importance of expert nursing care in addressing the comprehensive needs of the wound, ostomy and continence patient.

The issues related to wound, ostomy and continence conditions may be too embarrassing for many sufferers to acknowledge and discuss. But knowledge is power, and when patients have the support, insight and understanding of professionals with the education and certification to address physical conditions, as well as the less-often considered emotional issues, the road to increased independence, condition management and improved self-esteem is within their reach.

Just how common are wound, ostomy and continence conditions in the U.S.? The facts are startling: Non-healing wounds affect a significant number of people. They are responsible for considerable pain, suffering and loss of function. Furthermore, without proper treatment, wounds can become infected and threaten loss of limb or life. Pressure ulcers (or bedsores) affect 10% of people in hospitals. Older adults are the group that is most susceptible. It is estimated that over 12 million Americans struggle with some form of urinary incontinence. Approximately 5.5 million Americans may experience episodes of fecal incontinence. One third of all men and women between the ages of 30-70, will experience loss of bladder or bowel control at some point in their adult lives. 750,000 people in the US have an ostomy, a surgically created opening in the body to allow body waste to pass through. 75,000 fecal and urinary ostomies are created annually. Diabetes, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease may eventually create wound and incontinence issues without a preventive care plan.

For more information about GVMH Wound & Skin Care Clinic, call 660-890-7247. Learn about other GVMH services by going to our website at www.gvmh.org or become a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/youdeserveGVMH.