My Scope of Practice: Ostomy Care from Bedside to Boardroom

When work, commitment, and pleasure all become one and you reach that deep well where passion lives, nothing is impossible. — Anonymous

  Nearly 37 years ago, Vickie Schafer, RN, MSN, CWOCN, CCRA, was strongly encouraged by colleagues and peers at Quakertown Community Hospital in Pennsylvania where she was an LPN to advance her burgeoning nursing career. She did so with great success and now has a position in industry with ConvaTec (Skillman, NJ). Throughout her career, her clinical, research, and educational responsibilities have reflected a patient-centered focus; whether she is serving as practitioner or industry spokesperson, she is gratified to be able to make a difference in a patient’s life.   Vickie progressed from an LPN to a Diploma nurse and eventually earned Bachelor’s and Masters degrees (the latter with a Clinical Nurse Specialist concentration) at the University of Kansas while living and practicing in Kansas City, where she managed an active clinical practice. “I was employed by the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC),” she says. “The majority of time I was involved in clinical activities such as ostomy management throughout the continuum of care. This involved preoperative stoma site selection, patient education, postoperative equipment management, and collaboration with social services to ensure patients had the resources they needed when they left the hospital.” Vickie also participated in staff education, nursing committees, multidisciplinary groups, and clinical research projects.

  During her final 2 years at KUMC, Vickie served as the Off-Site Director for the MD Anderson WOCN Educational Program, finding fulfillment as an Enterostomal Therapist (now referred to as Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurse [WOCN]). “Serving as the healing resource that affects one’s transformation from despair to resumption of an active lifestyle is incredible,” Vickie says. “Some of the people I have met over the years are friends to this day.” She also conducted the first nurse investigator IRB-approved clinical trial at KUMC.

  Vickie moved back east and joined ConvaTec after 11 years with KUMC. ConvaTec consults with nurses and physicians at clinical facilities to be investigators on new products. The company maintains a portfolio of ostomy, wound, and continence care product lines, along with educational materials and services available to both consumers and healthcare professionals. “In my early years at ConvaTec, while in the Clinical Trials group, I attended the clinical research programs and sat for the Clinical Research Associate (CCRA) certification exam,” she says. “For the past 2 years, I have been with ConvaTec’s Medical Affairs group as the Associate Director, Medical Scientific Liaison to North American Ostomy Care.” In her current role, Vickie works directly with healthcare professionals on educational projects that ultimately improve patient outcomes. “One of the reasons I accepted the employment opportunity at ConvaTec was their products and services met the needs of my patients,” she says. 

  Vickie’s main responsibilities include collaboration with healthcare professionals on projects involving the safe and effective use of ConvaTec products. Some of her tasks include coordinating the development of poster presentations for national conferences, developing oral/slide presentations for teaching groups of other healthcare professionals concerning ostomy care, and providing guidance on the development of case studies. She also is a clinical resource to ConvaTec’s ostomy marketing and product brand teams.

  Another gratifying dimension of Vickie’s current role is ConvaTec’s involvement in activities she supports, such as the company’s sponsorship of youth and WOCN attendance at the United Ostomy Associations of America Youth Rally. The company also provides products for the nurses to use during the rally and helps educate youngsters about potential new ostomy management methods. As with most WOCNs, Vickie finds one of her greatest challenges in the work place is dealing with increasing needs in less time. An additional challenge is surmounting the obstacles between the research and clinical sectors of the business. As regulatory agencies more closely scrutinize the activities of healthcare professionals, WOCNs have had a more difficult time trying to participate in corporate-sponsored activities. “Recently, I have encountered more and more nurses who have had excellent patient outcomes and would like to share them, yet are not able to participate as poster presenters or speakers because of a perceived potential conflict of interest,” Vickie says. “The research and clinical evaluations are all independent; however, agencies and facilities do not have funding to sponsor the development, printing, and costs for the nurse to attend the conference.” To underscore her philosophy of needing a healthy balance in life, Vickie and her husband are huge NASCAR fans and habitual riders of a three-wheeled motorcycle (trike). Vickie also is an avid mystery novel reader and a crossword puzzle fan.

  Vickie believes one of the most important character traits she has learned to embrace is flexibility. “Within any nursing role, the day rarely goes as smoothly as planned,” she says. “Over the years, survival has meant being able to change direction on short notice. I also adopted the attitude that knowledge really is power; however, that power remains weak and limited until it is shared.” Vickie encourages anyone interested in nursing to spend some time with a seasoned nurse who has been successful in different roles and has knowledge and insight.

  Looking ahead, Vickie hopes her role will continue to evolve as it has over the past few years. “My personal philosophy is that you should strive to learn something new every day in order to feel challenged and enthusiastic,” she says. Vickie has had the pleasure of mentoring nurses in different roles and realizes her own success when hearing their success stories. “Working with my peers is very fulfilling, and although I miss direct patient care and teaching, I know that I am playing a role that influences ostomy care on a greater level,” Vickie says. Knowledge, experience, mentors, and business acumen are the factors related to Vickie’s success in her scope of practice.

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