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Question:
Am I able to use practice hours worked as a part of my portfolio from 2019 on or is it only from 2022?
Thank you
Question:
I was certified in ostomy 2012 but didn’t take the test for recertification. Do I need use the experimental pathway or inactive status to recertify?
Thanks
Caroline Elder
Answered May 20, 2024
You may certify again via exam, and on the exam application show your eligibility through the Experiential Pathway. This means having 1500 practice hours in ostomy, plus 50 CE in ostomy. The inactive status is unrelated to your situation, and is only for those who are currently certified who want to go into inactive status due to life circumstances that want the ability to potentially certify again within three years, and then would apply for the inactive status, and then would need 50 CE to apply for exams within that time.
Question:
Hello! My CWCN expires 11/2027. I am working on getting CEs. If I take a CE course that was published in January, 2024 and expires in 03/2026, would the CE credit still be valid for my recertification in 2027?
Many thanks!
Answered May 17, 2024
Yes! Please review page p #1. As long as the CE course was complete before your certification expiration date they are ok! Good luck!
Question:
I presented at my hospitals skills day for ostomy education. The nurses all had to demonstrate competency of measuring a stoma, applying a new skin barrier and emptying the pouch using model stoma plates. The activity took 4 hours. How should I categorize this activity in PGP?
I also worked with the Hollister rep to chane our hospitals formulary of ostomy supplies to better fit patient needs and upgrade the products. I am also not sure how to catagorize this project. The hospital did adopt the new formulary based on my recommendation.
Answered May 16, 2024
Good day. Presentations go under "teaching" as described on page 14. You may also claim points if you developed the presentation.
Regarding working with a rep, you may claim points (also on page 14)if you revised the formulary. Unfortunately, if they didn't adopt your recommendations, you cannot claim points unless you developed a presentation regarding the different appliances and then presented it to your product committee.
Good luck!
Question:
I had participated with educating on wound care and products with new hire nurses at the hospital for the RN Residency program. What category should I place this activity under? Would that go under the presentation of program?
Answered May 15, 2024
That activity would be placed under "teaching." Please review page 14 of the handbook for details on how to enter the points. Good luck.
Question:
I received email confirmation that my ostomy PGP package was accepted Jan 21. I never received an email that my wound PGP was accepted but both my expiration dates are 4/30/2029 when previously was 4/30/2024. I need my certificates to update my certification at work and for reimbursement. Can someone help with this?
Answered May 14, 2024
We will contact our testing agency, Meazure Learning, since they issue all the certificates for WOCNCB, whether by exam or PGP. In the meantime, we will also email a credential verification letter.
Question:
I currently am certified as a WTA-C. I have returned to school and now am practicing as an APRN, and want to get my advanced practice certification. Does the WTA-C count as an "entry-level WOCNCB certification" to meet the criteria to sit for the advanced practice exam?
Answered May 14, 2024
The eligibility for the -AP level exams specifies you must hold CWCN level credentialing to use it towards obtaining the -AP level. The WTA-C is not part of the -AP eligibility credentialing. You could use the Experiential Pathway, where you use your practice hours' experience and CE towards an -AP level exam application.
Question:
Hello! To clarify, you are able to retake the exam up to 4 attempts, then after that will have to wait a whole year before reattempting. However, is this 4 times for each discipline (wound, ostomy, cont) or in total of all 3 disciplines.
For ex: I want to be certify in all 3 areas. But I didn't pass wound exam 1st try. So I have to pass my 2nd try wound exam, 1st try ostomy exam, and 1st try continence exam (total of 4 attempts), correct? Or else if I fail again in any of the disciplines, I have to wait a whole year from date of my last exam? Thank you!
Answered May 13, 2024
After submitting an exam application, you may take each specialty exam the first time, and then within 12 months of the exam application submission date, may retake each specialty exam 3x. That means, you could potentially take the wound exam 4x, the ostomy exam 4x, and the continence exam 4x -- as long as all the attempts occur within the 12 months of when the original exam application was submitted. After that, there is a 6-month waiting period before reapplying.
Question:
Re: Practice Hours
I worked in two different hospitals over the 5 yrs and if I do enter hospital hours separately, I will not be able to count a significant amount of hours for each speciality. Am I able to combine them?
Ex: For wound care in hospital A, total is 1170 hours. For wound care in hospital B, total is 736 hrs with a grand total of 1906 hrs. However, if I submit separately (1000 for hosp A and 500 for hosp B), I am missing out on an additional 400 hrs. How can I account for this?
Answered May 9, 2024
Thank you for your question. You can enter both hospitals but it does not seem that you have enough points for 2000 hrs unless you have some pre post work that can count towards your practice hours so another suggestion would be to enter the hours as 1000,500, 250 hours
Question:
I am recertifying for Wound, Ostomy and continence. Do I need 40 points per speciality, or 80 total for all three?
Answered May 8, 2024
You need 80 points in each specialty portfolio, so 80 in wound, and 80 in ostomy, and 80 in continence.
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