WOCTalk

Episode Resources:

Visit the Chapter page on the WOCN website for more information on the restructure, including FAQs and additional resources.

Connect with your local WOCN peers through the online Chapter Communities.

View this infographic about the WOCN Society’s history.

About the Speakers:

Derik Alexander, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, CWOCN, CFCN, has been a dedicated member of the WOCN Society for 23 years. He is the Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurse Practitioner at Dignity Health Medical Group and St. Joseph’s Hospital & Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona. He holds a Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner from the University of Phoenix (2009), and completed his Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurse Education at Emory University.

Mandy Spitzer, MBA, RN, CWOCN, CFCN, is a Certified Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurse, as well as a Certified Foot Care Nurse. An active WOCN Society member, Mandy has served on the South Central Chapter's Board of Directors in various roles, including President (January 2023 – present), President-elect (2021 – 2022), and Communications Officer (2017 – 2020). She is currently the Medical Education Manager for Negative Pressure Wound Therapy at Smith and Nephew.

Nicole Kindel, BSN, RN, CWOCN, is an Acute Care Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurse with 18 years of certification as a WOC nurse. Over the past 15 years, she has held every position on the North West Chapter Board of Directors.

Episode Resources:

Click here for information on the WOCN-accredited nursing education programs.

Click here to view Preceptor FAQs about becoming a WOC nurse preceptor, how to get started with new students, information about roles and responsibilities, and more.

Click here to search the Preceptor Directory to find a WOC preceptor in your area.

Click here to view information on WOCN Society membership options.

Click here to view the WOCN Society annual scholarship information.

About the Speakers:

Lori Borja, MSN, RN, CWOCN, CFCN, has been a certified WOC nurse for over 24 years, with experience in all care settings. She ran a nurse-led outpatient ostomy clinic where she conducted pre-op teaching, stoma-site marking, post-op care, and managed stomal and peristomal complications.  Lori has extensive experience in program development and nursing education in the clinical setting.  She has been a Clinical Instructor at the Emory University WOC Nursing Education Program since 2014 and the Program Director since 2019.

Kelly Jaszarowski, MSN, RN, CNS, ANP, CWOCN, WOCNF, earned her BSN degree in 1989 from Sangamon State University (now known as the University of Illinois Springfield) and her MSN in 1997 with a specialization in adult primary health care. She became a CETN (now known as a CWOCN) in 1990. With over 30 years of nursing experience and more than 30 years as a CWOCN, Kelly has precepted both nursing and WOC nursing students.

Kelly has practiced in various settings, including acute care, home healthcare, extended care, assisted living, and outpatient facilities. Currently, she is an independent WOC consultant with mid-level provider status in local facilities and serves as a legal nurse consultant. She has taught nursing and WOC nursing, lectured locally and nationally, and been published. Kelly has also been active in numerous professional organizations, serving on the Board of the WOCN and the Mideast Chapter. She is a Past President of both the Mideast Chapter and the WOCN Society. Kelly has been an educator with the Cleveland Clinic - R. B. Turnbull, Jr. MD WOC Nursing Education Program for over 10 years and is the current Program Director.

Debra Netsch, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CWOCN-AP, CFCN, has been a WOC nurse for over 38 years, with 26 of those years also as a Nurse Practitioner. She has taught with the WEB WOC® Nursing Education Program for over 23 years and is Co-Director and the ANCC Approved Provider Program Director. Debra has published numerous clinically relevant textbook chapters and articles. She has a passion for ostomy care and teaching.

Episode Resources:

Click here to find a UOAA Affiliated Ostomy Support Group near you. People who have or will have surgery, caregivers, family, friends and medical professionals are invited to attend and benefit from lifelong learning and emotional support.

Click here to access the article, The Role of the WOC Nurse in an Ostomy Support Group by Stephanie Mowdy, BSN, RN, C, CETN. Click “Download” on the left-hand side to get the PDF version of the original article that was published in the JWOCN® in 1998.

Click here to access the article Starting and Maintaining a Hospital‐Based Ostomy Support Group by Heidi Huddleston Cross, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, published in the JWOCN in 2010.

Click here to access the WOCN members-only online Ostomy Community

Click here to access the WOCN members-only Professional Practice Community

About the Speakers:

Vashti Livingston, MS, RN, CWOCN, has been a member of the WOCN Society for 20 years. Vashti has been a WOC nurse co facilitator for an ostomy support group for 20 years. She currently works as a Certified WOC Nurse Ambulatory Urology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center NYC. Her educational background includes Emory University WOCNEP (2001); MS in Adult Health Nursing (2005); BSN (1990) and BS Biology (1984).

Stacy Krakower, BSN, RN, CWON, has over 20 years of direct patient care working in the acute, long term, ambulatory and home care settings. Stacy completed her training in wound and ostomy nursing from the Emory University Wound and Ostomy Certification Program and has been certified wound and ostomy nurse for the past six years. Since 2019, Stacy has had the privilege of being one of the leaders of the Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center's Ostomy Support Group. She has helped grow this group over the years as it successfully pivoted from an in person support group to a virtual group. She is passionate about her role as a leader of such an important group as she feels that knowledge is acquired over time and support groups can offer the ostomy community life long learning, support and friendship.

Rebecca Poleshuck, MSN, FNP-BC, CWOCN, presently practices as a Wound Ostomy and Continence Specialist and Colorectal Surgery Nurse Practitioner, with special certification in wound, ostomy and continence care. She has practiced in the field of nursing for over 19 years, providing care to pressure injury patients, and developing comprehensive educational programs for registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and patient care assistants. As a wound care expert at an academic medical center, she routinely diagnoses and treats patients with pressure injuries based on the etiology and stage of the wound. She received a BS in Nursing from Hunter-Belleveue School of Nursing and certification as a Family Nurse practitioner from SUNY Downstate. She is currently employed at Mt. Sinai Beth Israel Hospital in New York as a nurse practitioner, wound, ostomy and continence specialist. Rebecca is Co-chair of the WOC Nurse Mount Sinai Health System Steering Committee for Hospital Acquired Pressure Injury prevention and provide a consultation service for wounds, ostomies and fistulas in the acute care setting as well as in a nurse practitioner run outpatient clinic for patients with recent ostomies and patients with long term concerns. She has also developed prevention strategies for patients at risk for pressure injuries in unit based quality improvement projects as well as developing a wound and ostomy continuing education program for Mount Sinai Beth Israel School of Nursing. Rebecca has created a staff development program for Registered Nurses and Patient Care Associates to prevent pressure injuries, moisture associated dermatitis, the care of lower extremity wounds and ostomies. She also created a staff development program for nurse practitioners for care of oncological wounds. Rebecca sits on Mount Sinai systemwide committees for pressure injury prevention and for credentialling of advanced practice providers.

Click here for details about the WOC N Roll Welcome Party at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday, June 8. Purchase a ticket ahead of time through the WOCNext registration site.

Click here to listen to the WOCTalk episode with Destination Cleveland for insider tips on what to see and do in Cleveland.

Click here for a comprehensive list of things to do and places to eat in Cleveland.

Register to attend WOCNext in-person.

Register to attend WOCNext virtually.

Click here to download the WOCNext app.

About the Speaker:

Brooke Passy is a Certified Meeting Planner (CMP), Digital Event Strategist (DES), and is the Director of Meetings for the WOCN® Society.

Click here to access the WOCN Society’s online Continuing Education Center (CEC)

Click here to search the newest online courses

Click here to view the new certification review courses

Click here to access the WOCN Society’s free online Clinical Resources

If you missed WOCN® Wound Education Day 2023, click here to purchase the on-demand sessions

If you missed WOCN® Pharmacology Day 2023, click here to purchase the on-demand sessions

About the Speaker:

Meghan Smith, MSN, AGACNP, CWOCN, is a nurse practitioner in the Department of Surgery at Henry Ford Health in Detroit where she has implemented a WOC nurse mentoring program. She has been a nurse for 20 years and a certified wound ostomy continence nurse for 16 years. She has had previous presentations on ostomy care, pressure injury prevention, staff education and mentoring. She serves as the current chair of the WOCN Education Committee. When she's not empowering others to make a bigger impact on what's most important, Debbie can be found boycotting winter and chasing sunshine from Pennsylvania to Florida each year with her husband, Tom.

Click here to learn more about the Opening Keynote session, Getting Clarity: Identifying Your Strengths to Shape Your Impact

Click here to learn more about WOCNext

About the Speaker:

Debbie Peterson is a dynamic speaker and consultant who helps her audiences and clients make a bigger impact in their careers, businesses, and lives. Through her speaking and consulting business, Debbie travels the country, empowering professionals with the tools and strategies to go all in on who they are, what they do, and how they consistently show up to make a bigger impact in their leadership and life!

As a result of Debbie's programming, participants consistently report increased focus, momentum, and motivation to translate their vision into action. Her expertise is further showcased in the 'Getting to Clarity' Podcast, where Debbie offers invaluable insights and practical strategies to help busy leaders create more success in their leadership with less sacrifice in their lives.

In addition to her speaking and consulting business, Debbie is an accomplished author with her book Clarity: How Smart Professionals Create Career Success on Their Terms. She is a professional member of the National Speakers Association and proudly earned the Certified Speaking Professional Designation in 2023, an achievement earned by 17% of professional speakers worldwide. She is also a certified trainer of NeuroLinguistic Programming (NLP) and a student of Huna.

When she's not empowering others to make a bigger impact on what's most important, Debbie can be found boycotting winter and chasing sunshine from Pennsylvania to Florida each year with her husband, Tom.

Click here to view the article Skin failure: A historical perspective published in the American Nurse Journal.

Click here to view the article Skin Failure: An Emerging Concept published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association (JAMDA)

Click here to view the article Skin Fails Too: Acute, Chronic, and End-Stage Skin Failure published in Advances in Skin & Wound Care

About the Speakers:

Mario C. Giannettino is a partner in the law office of Kaufman Borgeest & Ryan, LLP in the firm's Medical Malpractice, Nursing Home and Long Care and General Litigation practice groups. Throughout his career, Mario has represented a wide range of healthcare professionals and providers, including residential healthcare and assisted living facilities, physicians, physician’s assistants, hospitals, and home healthcare agencies. In addition to defending suit from inception and through discovery, Mario also serves as a trial attorney. In addition to his litigation experience, Mario provides a broad spectrum of services to healthcare clients, including staff training, in-servicing, counseling on risk assessment issues, and assisting them in navigating privacy and security issues under both HIPAA and the HITECH Act.

Mario regularly publishes and speaks nationally on matters relating to all aspects of healthcare defense. During his career, he has been a featured author in The Risk Management Quarterly, McKnight’s and various other publications. Mario frequently speaks nationally at healthcare events and workshops and has presented on issues such as the impact of artificial intelligence on healthcare, the CMS Five-Star Rating System, the proliferation of arbitration agreements in healthcare and many other topical concerns. In addition to being licensed to practice law in both New York State and Connecticut, Mario serves as supervisory/monitoring counsel for residential health care facilities nationwide.

Heidi Cross is a certified Wound and Ostomy Nurse, as well as a nurse practitioner from the Syracuse NY area. She has worked in acute care and is a wound consultant for long term care facilities, currently working for the University of Rochester Strong Memorial Hospital and CNY Physicians of Central New York. She has been published in multiple wound and ostomy journals and is a member of the WOCN® Society and the American Association of Wound Care, among other organizations. She has extensively reviewed legal cases related to wound care for both defense as well as plaintiff attorneys and comes with a wealth of experience and information related to litigation and wound care.

Click here for everything you need to know about places to visit and things to see in Cleveland, including access to the Cleveland Experience Passports.

Click here to learn about exhibits and tours at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Purchase a ticket for the WOCNext 2024 WOC n Roll Welcome Party taking place at the Rock Hall on Saturday, June 8.

Click here to book a Cleveland walking tour.

Click here to book a Cleveland food tour.

Click here to book a water tour on the Good Time III, and click here to book a water tour on the Lady Caroline.

Click here to learn about Cleveland Lakefront Bikeway trails.

Click here to learn about the Westside Market.

Click here to learn about University Circle which includes the free Cleveland Museum of Art, historical landmarks, parks and gardens, and more.

Click here to learn about the Cleveland Botanical Garden.

Click here to learn about Edgewater Park & Beach located on Lake Erie.

Click here to learn about the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH.

Click here to learn about Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, OH.

About the Speaker:

Nick Urig is a Senior Communications Manager for Destination Cleveland and leads the leisure and meetings/conventions public relations initiatives.

Click here to view Vickee’s WOCN® Member Spotlight blog.

About the Speaker:

Victoria (Vickee) Ramik, MS, APRN, ACNS-BC, CCRN, CWOCN, has been a nurse for four decades, predominately as a bedside nurse and clinical nurse specialist in critical care. In 2010, she became tri-specialty certified in wound, ostomy, and continence care. Vickee retired from nursing in 2023 and does not have formal plan yet, but she will miss taking care of her patients.

Click here to view the abstract for the poster “Put the toes in head to toe assessment”

Click here to view the interactive ePoster for “Put the toes in head to toe assessment”

About the Speaker:

Ivy Razmus, PhD, RN, CWOCN, is an Assistant Professor at the University of Detroit Mercy where she is currently teaching in the BSN Nursing program. Her research focuses on pressure injury prevention for pediatric patients including neonatal patients. She has experience as a Manager of Pediatric populations both neonatal and pediatric intensive care; as a quality analyst within a health system focusing on nursing sensitive quality indicators and root cause analysis; and as a CWOCN in the acute, critical and outpatient settings in the adult population.

Suzanne Keep, PhD, RN, FNAP, has a Masters in Community Health Nursing from Wayne State University. Suzanne has been teaching community health nursing for pre-licensure, BSN completion, and Master’s level nursing students for over 35 years. She mentored students for foot care for several years and incorporated it into the community health practicum for senior year students. She has provided footcare at a variety of community sites including a transitional house for men who have been incarcerated, the Salvation Army, city own lower income housing, and homeless shelters.