News

WOC Nurses at Beebe Prepare for Growth in Aging Population

05/15/06

With the growth in Coastal Delaware's aging population has come a significant expansion of quality health care services offered by Lewes-based Beebe Medical Center.

One of these very important services is that provided by the certified wound, ostomy and continence (WOC) nurses who are based at Beebe's Wound Care/Diabetes Management Department at the Longneck Health Campus in Millsboro. In a pleasant outpatient setting, they help patients with chronic wounds caused by conditions such as pressure ulcers, diabetes and venous insufficiency, as well as those patients suffering from incontinence. The nurses also work closely with ostomy patients and support the efforts of the Delmarva Friends with Ostomies Support Group.

WOC nurses not only are specially trained to treat these chronic and often serious conditions, but they also educate patients so that they can take an active part in their medical care.

We are focused on improving the quality of life for patients with debilitating chronic wounds and for the ostomy patients who have special needs, both in medical care and in adopting to a new way of life, says Bonnie Cunningham, RN, Director of the Wound Care/Diabetes Management Department.

The department has a multidisciplinary staff of WOC specialty nurses, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Nurse Practitioners, RN's, Nurse Techs, Certified Diabetes Educators, a Nutritionist and support and administrative staff. The team approach is used to provide care for both inpatients at Beebe Medical Center, and for outpatients at the Longneck Health Center.


The department was established in 1998 to evaluate and treat chronic wounds, provide ostomy care, nutrition counseling and diabetes education. Physicians can refer patients to to any one of the programs or patients can telephone the center directly at (302) 947-2500.

As part of National Nurses Week, the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society (WOCN) has highlighted the work that its members do to help patients and their families with chronic wound, ostomy and continence problems.




Caption: (from left to right) front row: Bonnie Cunningham, APRN, BN, CWOCN, Director; Carol Davis, Office Manager; Tina Trout, RN, MS, CDE (Certified Diabetic Educator), CS; Second row: Tanya Crawford, RN & Wound Ostomy Continence trained; Terry Foster, Registrar; Laurie Ciriello, Assistant Registrar; Theresa Bradley, Patient Care Tech; Back Row: Donna Goodwin, Scheduler & Insurance Specialist; Florence Kasden, RN, FNP, CDE; Beverly Russell, Group Diabetes Class Coordinator; Lisa Townshend, RN, MSN, FNP-C, CWOCN; Denise Larson, RN; Team members not present: Lynda Dunham, RN, CWOCN, Patty Bradley, Nutritionist, Joanne Gardner, RN.