Wound Care Nursing
Learn More about a Career in Wound Care Nursing
Wound nurses care for patients with wounds caused by medical treatments, diseases, or injuries. They also provide post-surgery treatment and care for patients with ostomies, which are surgical openings that allow for the elimination of bodily waste.
Wound nurses often work with a health care team, assessing patients, managing wounds, alleviating pain, and monitoring healing. In addition to providing direct care, Certified Wound Care Nurses educate patients, caretakers, and other medical professionals on the management and prevention of wounds.
Preparation Path
Earn your BSN
Pass the NCLEX and become an RN
Earn WOC Certification
Typical Tasks
- Preventing bedsores
- Debriding, cleaning, and bandaging wounds
- Completing proper documentation for Medicare reimbursement and writing orders to promote wound healing and the prevention of skin breakdown
- Treating ulcers, abscesses, and feeding tube sites to speed healing
- Cleaning wounds and developing wound care treatment plans
- Administering pain medication and pain management procedures
Employment Settings
- Hospitals
- Wound care centers
- Individual patients’ homes
- Nursing homes and long-term care facilities
- Hospices
- Public health agencies
Annual Salary Range
$41,701 – $83,160
Education Requirements
BSN
Certification
RN, plus Wound, Ostomy, Continence (WOC) Certification
