Wound & Ostomy
Lakewood Health System has nurse specialists called "certified wound, ostomy and continence nurses" (CWOCN) who serve patients who meet the following criteria:
- Patients with traumatic wounds, chronic “non-healing” wounds (diabetic and stasis wounds), and pressure ulcers
- A physician’s referral is required for a patient to visit the CWOCN
- Patients who will be having ostomy surgery or who have a colostomy, ileostomy, urostomy or fistula.
- Patients who have a tube inserted through the skin for the purpose of drainage or feeding.
For these patients, the certified wound, ostomy and continence nurse will:
- Provide access to dressings needed for positive outcomes in wound healing.
- Provide patient and family education regarding appropriate wound or ostomy care.
- Preoperative patient teaching and marking of ostomy site.
- Continued post-operative patient teaching and appropriate ostomy pouch system selection.
- Modification of the wound care treatment plan/pouching system as needed.
- Assist patient to access Durable Medical Equipment (beds and specialty beds, specialty cushions, and special wound care dressings, compression hose, ostomy supplies).