Unique fellowship for RPN

Diane Wood is a Registered Practical Nurse with a passion for wound care.

“When I see a patient with pressure ulcers I want to fix them,” Diane commented recently. “I want to relieve the pain they cause for our patients.”

Diane has completed many continuing educational programs on wound management. She is a long-standing member of the hospital skin and wound care committee and constantly shares her knowledge and clinical expertise to all nursing areas throughout the hospital- frequently after she has completed her shift.

Diane comes from a family of nurses. “My grandmother wanted her children to become nurses, so both my mother, Joyce Monkhouse, and my aunt, Margaret Fair, were nurses.” When Diane graduated from high school she went to Fanshawe College and studied to become a RPN. Two weeks later she was working at the Willett caring for chronic care patients. When Diane married she went up north with her husband to Manitoulin Island and worked at another small rural hospital with 26 patients. She loved it. “You did it all. It was in the countryside and one minute you helped deliver a baby, then went over and worked a shift in the emergency department.”

In 2000 the family moved back home and took up residence in Burford. Diane resumed nursing where it all started- at the Willett before the program moved to the Brantford General. She remembers the move saying, “It was great- very well organized; the patients and staff have been made very welcome here.”

Today, Diane cares for patients on C4 where Sherry McKnight, manager- complex continuing care and palliative care encouraged Diane to submit a proposal to the Registered Practical Nurses Association of Ontario (RPNAO). The proposal is entitled ‘Developing a Sustainable Wound Care Competence through a Knowledge Management Model.' Sherry said, “Diane has a vision of how wound care should be addressed. The more knowledge nurses have the greater ability we have to prevent pressure ulcers and subsequent wounds.”

RPNAO agreed with Diane's proposal, saying, “A fellowship program of this nature for Registered Practical Nurses is ground breaking.” They also requested an article to be placed in the RPN Journal.

This September when Diane sends her 3 teenagers off to school, she too will be hitting the books. “I am enrolled in the International Inter-professional Wound Care Course offered through the University of Toronto,” Diane said. “All the expenses are covered by the hospital and the RPNAO.”

Ultimately, the fellowship will allow Diane to share her expertise on wound management by becoming a teacher and facilitate learning right across the Brant Community Healthcare System. She wants to enhance the present skin wound management committee with individuals who can be called upon to share their knowledge with other staff and patients. Diane says, “I feel very honoured to be supported and be able to teach others. Instead of only helping my patients, now I can help other nurses help their patients.

The Brant Community Healthcare System encourages RPN's to practice their entire scope of practice. This led to the RPNAO awarding their first-ever ‘Employer of The Year Award' to the Brant Community Healthcare System, something that Diane is proud of. She says, “Compared to other hospitals and areas where RPN's are employed we are definitely recognized as leading the way.” With caregivers like Diane Wood, our patients and community can be assured that we will continue to lead the way.

Gary Chalk is senior executive director- public affairs & development for the Brant Community Healthcare System. Brantford General is a regional health centre providing primary, emergency and specialized services. The Willett, Paris, is a multi-service health centre providing urgent care, primary care and community outreach programs.