Beth McNutt-Clarke, M.Sc.A, M.B.A., RN, CWOCN, believes her specialty鈥攚ound management鈥攊s critical for the well-being of both patients and hospitals. McNutt-Clarke, who obtained her master鈥檚 degree in nursing from McGill University in Montreal, most recently served as an advanced practice nurse at Toronto鈥檚 Bridgepoint Hospital, where she oversaw management of wounds such as pressure ulcers. 鈥淲ith some knowledge and good assessment, you can actually prevent a lot of pressure ulcers,鈥� says McNutt-Clarke, noting that these common hospital-acquired wounds are painful and can take several years to heal. Severe cases, which can cost hospitals upwards of $60,000, also put a strain on clinical budgets.
Her other passion is community health nursing, which she鈥檒l teach as a clinical instructor at the Connell School. 鈥淪tudents need to learn not just nursing skills, but how to interact with people,鈥� says McNutt-Clarke, who is a vocal proponent of the value of strengths-based nursing, an emerging treatment approach that eschews formulaic prescriptions and promotes health by exploring how patients can help themselves. 鈥淚 feel like I鈥檓 a detective and I鈥檓 going to find the best way to work with a patient,鈥� she says.
鈥擳imothy Gower, photograph by Caitlin Cunningham