2020 Nurse of the Year
Amanda Owen, BSN, RN, CWON
Johns Hopkins
Amanda serves the as chair and resource for many wound and skin product and policy initiatives in her health system. The nominee works in a large teaching hospital and is seen as an authority in the field of wound care by peers and leadership. She has served as the project leader for a health system support surface project. The duties included evaluating equipment from many different vendors, creating criteria for online ordering platforms, and negotiating contract details. She served as the WOC nurse representative for the health system. She has also headed the system-wide Wound, Ostomy, Burn Value Analysis Committee. She was able to balance the demands of selecting products that are both clinically acceptable and cost effective. Amanda a was able to represent WOC nurses to insure the health system -maintained products standardization without compromising quality. She is co-author of harmonized skin, wound and pressure injury prevention and management policies. Senior leadership and her fellow WOC nurses recognize her expertise and authority.
About twenty years ago, Amanda was working in on a medical floor and had a share day with a WOC nurse who worked in a different department. She felt that her department would benefit from having a WOC nurse on staff. Amanda wrote a business plan to create a new position.
A When the Covid-19 pandemic arrived in the area, she volunteered to serve as an infection control safety officer, working to help transport Covid patients safely throughout the hospital.
In 2012, Carolyn Jones featured Amanda as a Certified Wound Care Nurse in the award-winning book The American Nurse. In the interview, she spoke about the challenges of end of life care and being about the role mercy plays, or should play, in healthcare. She represented our profession on a national stage. She co-authored and presented a poster at the regional WOCN conference and has been featured in articles in health system media. Amanda has contributed to and participated in several research projects related to wound care and pressure injury prevention.
Amanda has strong relationships with industry partners and helps coordinate practice and product transitions. She is that WOC nurse you can call when you are struggling with a challenging patient and she will share her wisdom. She serves as a role model for other WOC nurses, and represents our profession with grace, humility and dignity.
Amanda does an excellent job of maintaining a healthy work life balance. She prioritizes family time and makes it a habit of leaving work on time, which is something we all sure aspire to do. She is active in her And community. She is the Operation Christmas Child shoebox campaign coordinator at her church. She and her son volunteered with Daily Bread, filling and delivering boxes of food for Thanksgiving meals for local families. She has also volunteer with Winter Relief ministry, providing food, shelter and basic needs to members of the local community who are experiencing homelessness.
Congratulations Amanda!