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Question:
I completed my WOC program through WEBWOC in 2012. Am I eligible at this time to test for certification? For various personal reasons I did not certify but I am now interested. Any guidance you can give me would be appreciated.

Answered June 21, 2018
The WOC education program must have been completed within the past 5 years prior to application. There is an alternative to apply for certification exams via the "Experiential Pathway". This requires 1,500 clinical practice hours in each specialty plus 50 CE's in each area. A portion of 375 out of the total clinical hours must come from the past one year. Please see "Eligibility" on our website under "Certification / Wound Ostomy Continence."

Question:
how do I take my ostomy and wound portfolio back after having submitted it? I will wait a few days to see if I get preapproval on a continence activity and then submit all 3. I spoke w Kathy about this yesterday. I have not paid for anything yet.

Answered June 21, 2018
Once it is submitted, it cannot be un-submitted. You could await the preapproval and then submit the continence section. Upon payment for all 3 your portfolios would be reviewed. After the review, they can be sent to you for revision and resubmission.

Question:
My PGP portfolio was approved on 5/29/14 for my 9/30/14 recertification. I attended the 2014 Conference in Nashville 6/21-25/2014. Since those dates are after the date my portfolio was approved can I use the contact hours rec'd from the Nashville conference? Thanks!

Answered June 21, 2018
Please see "points accrual" dates upon logging in to your PGP portfolio account. This is displayed in the upper-right hand corner of each specialty. It should provide the 5/29/14 date as the first date you may accrue PGP points since that is the PGP approval date from the last portfolio. This means you may use the June 2014 CE credits.

Question:
Hi I already got the approval to schedule for the wound and Ostomy certification tests in my current state, but I may accept a position in another state before I take my test. Would that change anything, do I need to get re-approved, I haven't schedule for the test yet. I was also wondering how much time can I have between the 2 tests, if I decide to take them on the same day. in order to benefit from the discount of taking them on the same day.

Answered June 21, 2018
You may schedule as desired, and there are hundreds of test locations nationally. The exam application allows you to utilize any location in any state and to schedule within 12 months of application - or prior to credentials expiration date if already certified.

Question:
I submitted my PGP portfolios for wound and ostomy recertification this am but have not yet paid for them. Since it greatly bothered me that I could not submit my continence portfolio also (didn't have enough points), I went back and realized I had 2 pre approved activities (but no points yet assigned). So I submitted another activity that may be preapproved. I may actually have enough point to recertify in continence! But how can I now submit all 3 portfolios?? Is there a way? Can I retract wound and ostomy and submit them all together? I also called and left a message. Thank you

Answered June 21, 2018
You may submit the continence portfolio as long as the payment is pending for the others. Once all three are submitted, the payment can be completed together.

Question:
can I claim fistula care CEU's for continence?

Answered June 20, 2018
Fistula CEU can fit in all three scopes. Look carefully at your objectives of the CEU and this will help determine if it will fit in the Continence portfolio.

Question:
in 2014 I received the D-magazine's excellence in nursing award and the Great 100 nurses for the DFW area award. Both were because of my work at a trauma center as a CWOCN. How can I claim points for continence on the pGP for this? Which category comes the closest? thank you

Answered June 18, 2018
There is not an activity in the PGP handbook for this. Therefore, you can use the pre-approval process if you wish to request consideration for points.

Question:
i notice on my PGP that there is text added for presentations completed prior to 2018. do i need to go back through what i have built to change points? everything needs to be reflective of 2018 PGP guidelines?

Answered June 18, 2018
If your credentials expiration is in 2018, you do not have to make changes and can submit the portfolio as is. Essentially, we don't require you follow the new handbook because it is so close to your submission deadline and there is not sufficient time for making the updates.

Question:
I was the Event coordinator for a blood drive with the American red cross. Can I use this as professional event planning not directly related to specialty??

Answered June 17, 2018
Activities that do not directly relate to, or enhance the role of WOC Nursing, can not be used in your PGP recertification.

Question:
I have decided to retake all of my recertification exams in lieu of PGP due to the time putting together all of the documentation. I was a little disheartened to find that I would have to pay another $75 if I did not take all 3 certifications back to back on the same day. In the past, I did 2 one day and then the 3rd the next day. Three in a row is a long day especially keeping continence which I rarely use. Therefore, sadly I will be joining my other colleagues in dropping the "C" which I have kept all these years. I encourage the board to make considerations for those of us who continue to support the full scope WOCN.

Answered June 18, 2018
When we updated exams to the 120 minute timeframe, it is not possible to have more than two exams in a 4 hour period. Now, you can take all 3 or 4 exams on the same day, just not more than 2 in the same combo package/same 4-hour sitting. It is possible have two combos of two and sit for two in the morning and two in the afternoon, but can no longer fit 3 exams into one 4 hour period.

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