My Scope of Practice: Supporting the Wound Care Patient

The greatest joys in life are found not only in what we do and feel, but also in our quiet hopes and labors for others. – Bryant McGill, Voice of Reason

There are many ways to help others. Whether it involves ensuring an elderly woman is eating properly or bandaging a young man’s wound, supporting others is always of vital importance. Susan Girolami, RN, BSN, CWOCN, (photo) acknowledges this type of service proliferates in the field of wound care. “Serving people with challenges keeps you humble and appreciative of good health,” she says.

Susan obtained her RN degree in 1971 from Toledo Hospital (Toledo, OH) and her BSN degree in 1989 from Detroit Mercy College (Detroit, MI). Her exposure to ostomy, wound, and continence (WOC) care first started with a job in a medical-surgical acute care unit and continued on to a urological acute care unit. While working in the urological acute care unit, Susan had the opportunity to replace the enterostomal therapist (ET). Thus began a career change that resulted in WOC nurse training at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (Buffalo, NY) in 1981 and entry into a full-time WOC nursing position at a tertiary care center. Susan finds limitless possibilities when working in WOC care that included direct patient care, mentoring health care associates, medical research, education, speaker, author, product consultant, wound consultant, and always educational potential because this niche continually brings new opportunities to learn.

Susan also contributes to the WOC care community as an active member of several organizations. For the first 15+ years of her career, Susan belonged to Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society (WOCN) and was an active contributor on a national and regional level. “This professional organization is the forerunner of all wound societies that exist today,” she says. “It remains steadfast in ensuring quality care and quality of life for patients with wound, ostomy, and continence concerns through research, education, professional training, and guideline development. Members provide hope for the thousands of patients who live with an ostomy by ensuring they have the proper training and equipment to return to active living.” When her career became more focused on wound management, Susan joined the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC) and began contributing to the annual poster sessions at the Symposium on Advanced Wound Care (SAWC) conference. She currently serves as Co-chair of the AAWC Guideline Task Force, of which she has been a member for 10+ years. “Our volunteer, multidisciplinary group has produced evidence-based wound care guidelines on venous ulcers, pressure ulcers, wound infection, and diabetic ulcers,” she says. “We also have published articles to provide resources and education for fellow health care professionals.”

Currently, Susan works as Clinical Director at Therapy Support, a multisite durable medical equipment (DME) provider with service to hospice, home care, subacute, and long-term care. “As with all WOC nurses, I wear many hats,” she says.“They include wound consultant; product reviewer and selector; quality improvement and compliance worker; product developer; patient, staff, and paraprofessional educator; researcher; and developer of training programs and patient education tools.” Susan also interprets the regulations of their accreditation agency, the Joint Commission, and is responsible for maintaining compliance and directing the performance improvement committee.

One of the things Susan enjoys most about her current position is working with a DME team that values the patient’s quality of care and strives to provide good service. “My first love remains wound prevention and management,” she says. “The opportunity to be involved in the development and clinical evaluation of mattress and seating support surfaces that have validated clinical outcomes is a dream come true. I have seen first-hand the value a proper support surface brings to pressure ulcer prevention and healing, fall reduction, and patient comfort. I share patient testimonials with anyone who will listen and am grateful to OWM for publishing the recent study outcomes on the use of high-definition foam support surfaces. Research and education are our window to the future for advances in care.”

Susan plans to retire in the coming year but hopes to have consulting opportunities in product development, which would utilize the knowledge and experiences she’s been afforded over her career and allow her to continue to work as a patient advocate for quality products. Susan’s advice to those wishing to join the wound care community: “Experience makes the best teacher; theory is only the beginning framework of being a WOC nurse.” Supporting the patient with products, education, and research is her present and future scope of practice.

This article was not subject to the Ostomy Wound Management peer-review process.