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Board Certification: Why Certify?

The Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing Certification Board (WOCNCB) began certifying nurses in 1978 as a way to recognize and differentiate the value of expert nurses from those at an entry level. Becoming board certified is a voluntary process that requires consistent, periodic evaluations of a nurse’s current professional knowledge and skills.

WOCNCB certified nurses are key health care team members who

• accurately assess patients and provide critical documentation
• implement cost-effective, evidence-based plans of care
• guide selection and use of cost-effective DME goods and pharmaceutical formularies
• provide comprehensive education to medical, nursing and ancillary staff
• train, coach and advocate for patients and families
• develop strategies to prevent complications

A survey conducted by the American Board of Nursing Specialties reports that:

• Certification is perceived as influencing accountability, accomplishment, growth, and specialized knowledge, as well as a level of recognition among employers, peers, and consumers.
• Nurse managers expressed a preference for hiring certified nurses because certified nurses have a proven knowledge base and documented experience in a given specialty.

Join nearly 6,500 highly-skilled nurses who are dedicated to improving patient safety and outcomes in wound, ostomy, continence and foot care.