President's Message

Greetings to all of the WOCNCB®-certified nurses and our nursing cohort aspiring to be Wound, Ostomy, Continence and Foot Care certified.   It is with much pride in our certified subspecialty and commitment to our continued achievements that I introduce myself as the WOCNCB® President for the next few years.  Thank you all for this opportunity to enhance the legacy and high-level recognition of the WOCNCB® certifications.  I, along with our WOCNCB® Board members, remain thrilled to work for you and our certification.

As we start the 2016 calendar year, I would like to reflect on a few of our 2015 accomplishments:

1. WTA-C:  Identifying the increased demands of our CWOCN cohort within our aging national demographics, the Certification Board developed the Wound Treatment Associate certification (WTA-C®).  This certification for non-Baccalaureate prepared nurses continues the patient safety tradition of all of our certifications.  Under the guidance of a CWCN, CWOCN, CWCN-AP, or a CWOCN-AP or Licensed Independent Practitioner, the WTA-C® is a strong addition to the wound care team. Click here for more information.
    
2. Accreditation:  In Fall we completed our third ABNS accreditation application.  Did you know that the WOCNCB® is the only independently accredited, Wound, Ostomy and Continence nursing certification?   Appreciating the value of this certification accreditation is similar to understanding the rigor and commitment to quality reflected in the ANCC Magnet recognition in acute care facilities.   The WOCNCB® is also accredited by the NCCA.  Please visit our website, www.WOCNCB®.org for more details.
    
3. Certification Exam Preparation Aids:  After the successful introduction of the Wound Care Flash Cards in 2014, we followed last year with the Ostomy Care Flash Cards.   The Advanced Practice Self-Assessment exams are now available on the website. The WOCNCB® Board of Directors hopes all eligible certificants are well prepared for successful exam certification.  When planning to sit for a specialty exam, please use the content outlines of each exam also found on our website. Click here for information on test preparation.

The WOCNCB® Board of Directors continues to scan the horizons of our health care landscape looking for opportunities where the WOCNCB® Certified nurse can shine.  We know the diligence and commitment to patient safety and disease self-management you have achieved through WOCNCB® certification.   As your career grows, I hope you will consider volunteering for the WOCNCB®; the rewards and networking are priceless.  

Thank you,

Cathryn L. Reimanis, DNP, CNS, ANP-BC, CWOCN

Letter from Laurie

On December 31st, 2015 I moved from being President of the WOCNCB® into my year long term as Immediate-Past President. I would like to share a few things I learned throughout my time in a leadership role. The WOCNCB® offers high quality exams that are tough but fair. There is a reason each exam is so tough. The certification exams validate knowledge needed to function safely as an entry-level wound, ostomy and/or continence nurse. The entry-level wound, ostomy and continence certifications are accredited by both the NCCA and ABSNC. Accreditation is what sets the certifications offered by the WOCNCB® apart from other credentialing organizations.

What does accreditation mean? The Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE) defines accreditation as the process by which a credentialing program is evaluated against defined standards by a third party. When in compliance with these standards, it is awarded recognition. In the case of the WOCNCB®, one of the third parties is the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). To help ensure the health, welfare, and safety of the public, ICE created its accrediting body, the NCCA in 1987. Certification programs (organizations that assess professional competence) that receive NCCA accreditation demonstrate compliance with its Standards for the Accreditation of Certification Programs, which were the first standards for professional certification programs developed by the industry.

The other third party that accredits the WOCNCB® is the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC). The ABSNC is the only accrediting body specifically for nursing certification. Accreditation by this organization is a peer-review mechanism that reflects the WOCNCB® has demonstrated compliance with the highest quality standards available in the industry.

Many think the WOCNCB® and the WOCN Society are one and the same. Accreditation standards require that an organization’s certification and membership functions be autonomous. The WOCNCB® and the WOCN Society are separate and autonomous organizations. The WOCNCB® certifies many of the members of the WOCN Society; the Society provides resources to support the nursing specialties of wound, ostomy and continence care such as developing continuing education for its members.

Regards,

Laurie L. Ellefson, BSN, RN, CWOCN, CFCN

References:
http://www.credentialingexcellence.org/p/cm/ld/fid=81 accessed 01/07/2016
http://www.nursingcertification.org/accreditation/

Have you moved?

We need your help staying up to date with our certificants! This enables us to provide important information regarding certification and recertification.  Email us and let us know if you have any contact information changes.

Do you have some exciting news within the field to share? Let the WOCNCB® staff know!

Awards Spotlight

The American Nurses Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the American Nurses Association (ANA), has named Tim Porter-O’Grady, DM, EdD, ScD (h), APRN, FAAN, FACCWS, CWCN, CFCN as the new chair of the Board of Trustees. Congratulations Tim!

If you have an achievement that you are especially proud of, or if you know a colleague who does, let us know!

Thank you WOCNCB® 2015 Volunteers!

WOCNCB® is thankful for all those who donate their time to board or committee service. There are so many that contribute to the success of this organization. We would like to give our heartfelt thanks to those volunteers whose service ended in 2015

• Andrea Montgomery-Kylie, BSN RN CWON, (Ewa Beach, Hawaii) Board of Directors, 2012 – 2015
• Christine Berke, MSN APRN-NP CWOCN-AP, (Lincoln, Nebraska), Advanced Practice Committee, 2011 – 2015
• LeAnn (Maki) Bartz, BS RN CWOCN (Buford, Georgia), WOC Exam Committee, 2008 – 2015
• Allyson Uhlman, BSN RN CWOCN, (Spokane, Washington), WOC Exam Committee, 2012 – 2015
• Heather McEntarffer, BSN RN CWOCN, (Phoenix, Arizona), Marketing Committee, 2011 – 2015
• Janet Stoia-Davis, RN CWOCN, (Riverside, California), PGP Committee, 2012 – 2015
• Melissa Stolley, BSN RN CWOCN, (Camp Hill, Pennsylvania), Public Policy Committee, 2011 – 2015
• Linda Droste, MSN RN CWOCN, (Richmond, Virginia), Public Policy Committee, 2011 – 2015

WOCNCB® Logo Items
You’ve earned it, now proudly display your certification achievement(s) with WOCNCB® licensed apparel and accessories. Visit http://www.WOCNCB.org/about-us/merchandise to view the entire collection!

Flash Cards are available
Be Better Prepared to Pass the Wound & Ostomy Care Exams - Study with the OFFICIAL WOCNCB Flash Card Sets!Each set is only $44.95 and contains just over 200 questions developed from the Ostomy Exam Content Outline.
 

Click the following to place your order

• Wound Care Flash Card Set
• Ostomy Care Flash Card Set

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