One of the most frequent requests BOA receives on its telephone hotline is for a referral to a local ostomy nurse. Officially an ostomy nurse is an ET (Enterostomal Therapist) or WOCN (Wound, Ostomy, Continence Nurse). If their degree is a CWOCN that tells you that they are also Certified by going through vigorous additional education and certification in ostomy management beyond their RN degree.
I recently asked several wonderful local Ostomy Nurses to let me know how you may contact them for personal care challenges. Here are their replies:
Amparo Cano MSN, CWOCN; Cleveland Clinic Florida
If you have an issue with your ostomy and wish to see a stoma specialist at the Cleveland Clinic, new patients must first register and schedule an office visit with one of the Colorectal surgeons. Making an additional appointment with the stoma specialist is preferred on the same day. We have six Colorectal Surgeons: Steven Wexner, MD; Juan Nogueras, MD; Eric Weiss, MD; Dana Sands, MD; Giovanna DaSilva MD; and David Maron, MD. For information on these surgeons check the Cleveland Clinic Florida Web site or pick up information at the clinic. To call for an appointment, call the Colorectal Office at 954-659-5278, option 2 and wait for a prompt that asks if you want to speak to a physician’s office. Please don’t choose “do you want to speak to a nurse about a wound or ostomy” because we cannot make appointments and that would slow the process considerably.
Eula Fahie-Romero RN, CWOCN
Memorial Hospital West (954) 432-2650, 703 N Flamingo Rd, Pembroke Pines, FL 33028. The ostomate needs a referral with a diagnosis written on it. The physician office calls or the patient and the appointment is scheduled based on availability.
Lea Crestodina APRN CWOCN-AP CDCES at Memorial Regional Hospital Ostomy Outpatient Clinic, 3501 Johnson St., Hollywood, FL. For information please call (954) 265-4512. To print out a referral/authorization form for your doctor click here.
Lourdes Placeres MSN, ANP-BC, CWON-AP, A.A, PCCN
Wound Ostomy Care Specialist, Surgical Oncology, Miami Cancer Institute
8900 N. Kendall Drive | Miami, FL 33176
MEETINGS: Due to the COVID 19 we have not resumed our onsite meetings. Our group meets every third Wednesday of each month via Zoom from 6-7pm. Summer break July–August. It is our desire to continue to offer the support you need, especially through this difficult times. We look forward to meeting you at our next meeting, and be encouraged to know that you are not alone.
HOW DO I JOIN? There is no application or cost for membership to the South Florida Ostomy Support Group UOAA Chapter. However, we do encourage our members to subscribe to The Phoenix Ostomy magazine. For more Information call Lourdes Placeres at 786-527-8295 or send a request to join via email to lourdpl@baptisthealth.net