The Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society

Education

Become a WOC Nurse

The nurse embarking on the journey to become a WOC nurse is opening the door to a specialty that makes a tremendous difference in the lives you touch. Whether you plan to specialize in wounds, ostomies or incontinence all three practice areas offer opportunity for professional growth in a variety of health care settings. WOC Nurses provide acute and rehabilitative needs for people with selected disorders of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary and/or integumentary system. WOC nurses provide direct care to people with abdominal stomas, wounds, fistulas, drains, pressure ulcers, and/or continence disorders. As an educator, consultant, researcher and/or administrator the WOC nurse plays a pivotal role in the guidance of optimal patient care.

WOC Nurses are Registered Nurses who hold a baccalaureate degree or higher and complete a formal, accredited WOC full scope or specialty education program.

Bringing it all together is no easy task. The WOC Nurse’s knowledge, leadership and commitment to caring make it happen. And for support, continuing education and professional resources, WOC Nurses turn to the WOCN Society.

Criteria for Admission

The following minimum prerequisites are common for every program. Individual programs may have additional criteria.

Applicants must be RNs with:

A Baccalaureate Degree or higher with a major in Nursing
OR
A Baccalaureate degree with a non-nursing major
AND
Documentation of baccalaureate nursing level competence/course completion in all of the following areas: nursing health assessment; community health nursing; pharmacology; nursing leadership and management; and research and statistics

Applicants must have at least one year current clinical experience following R.N. licensure and current license as a Registered Nurse.

Possess current clinical experience within 5 years of application to a WOCN Program. Documentation of current clinical nursing experience within last 5 years may include: current active, practice; completion of a nurses refresher course, or a clinical performance examination.

Program Structure

Applicants can choose from nine WOCN-accredited WOC Nursing Education Programs (WOCNEPs) in the United States. Accreditation by the WOCN guarantees the student that the program meets established criteria regarding admission requirements, course content, clinical experience, qualified faculty and student/faculty ratio.

To meet the wide variety of needs of prospective students, the structure of the WOC Nursing Education Programs is diverse. Each program has specific information about their structure, program dates tuition and fees, length of program and specific admission requirements. Types of program offerings include full scope or specialty courses. Individual programs may offer nursing education credits or academic, master’s level credits for the course.

Individual programs have varied structures/formats for the learner to choose an option that best meets their learning style or needs. Program types include: traditional on-site; split-option; distance learning; web enhanced and online learning courses. All programs contain both a didactic and clinical component.

Credentials

Upon successful completion of a WOCN-accredited WOC Nursing Education program the nurse is awarded a certificate designating WOC Nurse or specialty status. This qualifies the nurse to take national board examinations to become certified in wound, ostomy and/or continence nursing.

WOCNCB Board Certification

Graduates of an accredited WOC nursing full scope or specialty program are eligible to become Board Certified by taking the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing Certification Board (WOCNCB) Examination(s). Credentialed WOC Nurses have successfully met rigorous criteria and passed a national board examination to be certified in the area(s) of wound, ostomy, and/or continence nursing. A brochure and application for Board Certification can be viewed at www.wocncb.org or requested from the WOCNCB National Office at (888)496-2622.

The WOCN Society gives recognition to the enduring hard work of its active members.