Ferne is a master’s-prepared nurse with 20 years of experience in pediatric nursing and nursing education with the past seven years caring for the needs pediatric wound and ostomy patient. Her pediatric knowledge includes pediatric and neonatal intensive care as well as trauma and surgical pediatric patients. Prior to wound and ostomy care she served as both the clinical education for both the pediatric intensive care and trauma departments. Ferne has worked at the Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughter for 20 years and is the Clinical Practice and Education Specialist for Wound and Ostomy.

Ferne graduated from Virginia Tech in 1996 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology. She obtained her Nursing Diploma from Sentara School of Health Professions in 1999 and completed her Master’s degree in Nursing Education from Liberty University in 2012. Ferne completed the Wound and Ostomy (WebWOC) program at Metropolitan University in 2014, and became a certified WOC nurse and certified pediatric nurse in 2015.

Ferne has been published and presented topics pertaining to pediatric wound care, as well as presented numerous posters at the local and national level on the safe use of wound care product with pediatric patients.

Ferne is an active member of the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society™ (WOCN®), serving in several board positions at the local level. Previously as public policy and advocacy co-chair for both the Mid-Atlantic Region (MAR) and Hampton Roads Affiliate, currently she serves as the MAR WOCN Secretary and Hampton Roads Affiliate President Elect. Ferne is an active and founding member of the Coastal Virginia Society of Pediatric Nurses, serving currently as the President of the local chapter.

Publications

2018
Poster Presenter (National and Regional)

• The Safe Use of Pure Hypochlorous Acid as a Cleanser of Skin and Wounds on the Premature Infant
• Co-Author -- PICU in Motion: Constructing an Evidence Based Protocol for Early Mobility in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Hampton Affiliate Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing Society Conference
• Hampton Roads WOCN Wound and Ostomy Conference: Lecture/Presentation – Wound Care Products: 30 minutes product description with 30 minute hands-on demonstration

Local Speaker at Carilion Wound Care Clinic Star Wound Care Conference

• Podium Presentation: Pediatric Wound Care

2017

• WOCN Member Spotlight Speaker -- One Size Does Not Fit All when Caring for Children: Wound Care and the Pediatric Patient
• Poster Presenter -- Good Vibrations: The Use of Non-Contact Low Frequency Ultrasound Therapy (NLFU)* in the Treatment of Chronic Wounds in the Pediatric Population
• Poster Presenter -- A Sweet Solution: The Use of Medical-Grade Honey on Oral Mucositis in the Pediatric Oncology Patient
• Association for Nursing Professional Development Poster Presentation Co-Author – Perceptions Related to ongoing Preceptor Support
• A Sweet Solution: The Use of Medical-Grade Honey on Oral Mucositis in the Pediatric Oncology Patient, Wounds, December 2017

2016

• Poster Presenter -- Adjunctive Debridement with Hypochlorous Acid Leads to a Healing Trajectory of Complex Wounds in Children
• What’s in My Bag? Creation of Ostomy Product Kits for Pediatric Nurses and their Patients
• Hampton Roads WOCN Wound and Ostomy Conference: Lecture/Presentation – Wound Care Products: 30 minutes product description with 30 minute hands-on demonstration
• Adjunctive Debridement with Hypochlorous Acid Leads to a Healing Trajectory of Complex Wounds in Children Ostomy Wound Management, Pearls of Practice, OWM April 2016

2014

• Poster Presenter -- Skin, Our Largest Organ: Where Do We Begin?