Credentialing Review and Appeals

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The WOCNCB^® is a nonprofit organization which provides board certification and recertification for wound, ostomy, continence nurses. The members of the WOCNCB^® comprise a diverse group of experts representing all specialties of nursing in which they certify individuals. The Board is national in scope and blends academic and clinical practice for the purpose of establishing excellence in the profession of wound, ostomy, and continence care nursing through development, maintenance, and protection of the certification process.

The WOCNCB^® recognizes that the practice of wound, ostomy, continence nursing is not a continuum of comprehensive care across the healthcare arena. Certification is offered to the baccalaureate prepared and advanced practice level nurses who exhibit high standards of practice. It is the aim of the WOCNCB^® to be inclusive and not restrictive to any adequately prepared applicant for certification. Maintenance of board certification will require independent effort to meet the every 5-year requirements of the chosen track for certification and the maintenance of nursing licensure. Individuals who fail to meet these requirements may have their certification suspended or revoked. The WOCNCB^® does not guarantee job performance of any individual.

Maintenance of Professional Licensure

As part of any code of nursing professional practice, it is expected that there will be no lapse of professional licensure during the five-year certification period. Any appearance of licensure revocation, including those due to any misdemeanor or felony charges, will immediately be reported to the WOCNCB^® resulting in the revocation of certification. Reapplication for certification will be considered on an individual basis at either the next spring or fall WOCNCB^® meeting following reinstatement of RN licensure by the appropriate State Board of Nursing. Proof of a current RN license must accompany all applications.

Purpose of the Credentialing Review and Appeals Committee

• The WOCNCB^® Credentialing Review and Appeals Committee was established to oversee candidate certificant eligibility compliance.
• The committee will be comprised of a WOCNCB^® member as Chair, the WOCNCB^® Public Member, Examination Committee members, and certified members of the certificant group. The members will be thoroughly familiar with the three tracks for certification: examination, graduate studies and experiential tracks.
• In administering the WOCNCB^® handling of the Formal Review process, the Credentialing Review and Appeals Committee must exist as an impartial review body with confidentiality for the individual case review in mind. Committee action shall be determined by majority vote.
• The process for conclusion of a Formal Report Form process shall be 37 days, with notification back to the individual in question in a written form.

Review and Appeals Procedure

Submission of Formal Report Forms:
When the WOCNCB^® becomes aware of an incident that may fall into one of the proceeding categories, the WOCNCB^® begins a structured investigation to determine whether or not any disciplinary action will be taken.

The review process is designed to give the individual alleged to have committed a violation of WOCNCB^® policies a fair opportunity to refute the allegation and/or explain the situation fully before any action is taken by the committee. In each instance which comes to the Credentialing Review and Appeals Committee's attention, the following steps are taken to quickly complete the investigation and resolve the complaints:

• Investigation Notice:
  The Credentialing Review and Appeals Committee chair responds to initial complaints received by providing written notice of the potential problem to the individual, or the "charged party." The individual is given an opportunity to respond in writing to clarify the matter or provide other pertinent information.
  
  
• Hearing Decision:
  Based on the individual's response to the committee chair's inquiry about the complaint, the committee meets by conference call to determine whether or not the complaint appears to have merit and whether or not it falls within the scope of the committee's responsibilities. The committee then determines if an official hearing, in which testimony may be presented by the charged party and others, will be conducted. If the decision is that a hearing is unwarranted, the complaint is dropped and the individual is notified that no action will be taken by the WOCNCB^®. Complaints which appear to fit the scope of the committee's responsibilities may be sent to:
  
  WOCNCB^®
  555 East Wells Street
  Suite 1100
  Milwaukee, WI 53202-3823
  414-289-8721

Only signed written complaints will be considered and anonymous correspondence cannot be acted upon. The WOCNCB^® will protect the confidentiality of those who provide information to every possible extent. However, the WOCNCB^® will become involved only in matters that can be factually determined, while providing the charged party with every opportunity to respond in a professional and legally defensible atmosphere.

• Hearing Notice/Information Gathering:
  If the complaint appears to have merit and is within the purview of the committee, the charged party is notified by certified mail that a formal hearing will be conducted via a conference call, teleconference or face-to-face meeting. The specific violation alleged to have been committed is identified and the charged party is given 30 days in which to provide information to the committee regarding the complaint. The charged party may also request that a hearing not be conducted. At the same time, the WOCNCB^® may contact other individuals about the matter and develop other facts that may help the committee decide if a violation of WOCNCB^® policies has occurred. The individual has the right to review information gathered as well as to be personally present and/or represented by legal counsel at the formal hearing. All travel expenses for the charged individual and his/her attorney are the responsibility of that individual. The WOCNCB^® also has the right to have legal counsel present during the hearing.
  
  
• Formal Hearing:
  All of the information gathered during the investigation or provided by the charged party is reviewed by the committee. Any personal testimony from the individual or other witnesses is taken during the hearing and a transcribed record of the proceedings is made.
  
  
• Case Decision:
  Based on the record of the hearing, including all information submitted by the charged party, the Credentialing Review and Appeals Committee determines whether or not the individual has violated WOCNCB^® policies and, if so, what disciplinary action the WOCNCB^® will take. Written notice of the committee's decision is provided to the individual by certified mail.
  
  
• Appeal:
  Upon receipt of the notice of the Credentialing Review and Appeals Committee's decision, the charged party has 30 days to file a written appeal of the decision to the WOCNCB^®. When an appeal is made, the voting members of the Board, minus the Credentialing Review and Appeals Committee Chair and the Public Member, review the record of the case and determine whether to affirm or modify the committee's decision.
  
  
• Possible outcomes:
  1. The charged individual is found not to be in violation of WOCNCB^® policies and no further action is required. The individual is notified by certified mail.
     
     
  2. Individual is found to be in violation of WOCNCB^® policies. Certification and/or eligibility for certification revoked for minimum of two years. Period of revocation will be determined by the Credentialing Review and Appeals Committee.

Reporting Responsibilities

To protect the validity of WOCNCB^® credentials, the WOCNCB^® depends upon WOCNCB^® certificants, WOCN members and the public to report incidents that may require action by the Credentialing Review and Appeals Committee.