Pathway to Wound Care Nursing

[Vix, CNA]

Hi, all. I realize I probably posted this in the wrong category so I'm reposting here.

I'm currently in an ASN program, taking BSN online classes alongside that, and I have 2 more semesters left for the ASN component. ( Can't finish BSN until I get hired and in a clinical setting for classes. ) My goal is to get my 2-year degree, finish BSN within my first year of being hired, and then signing up for a WOCN course 1-2 years after that so I can get board certified.

My question is more related to after graduation. What sort of floor should I look into applying that will help educate me and prepare me for this path? From what I seen on the WOCN website, the only thing required is 1 year of clinical RN experience. However, I would like for that experience to be as closely related to the material as possible. I know floor nurses tend to do basic wound cares and monitoring, but which would that be? OR? Med-Surg? ICU? Are hospitals up for taking on new graduates that express interest in wound care nursing, specifically?

One thought I had was to work in an LTC or Home Health relative to wound care, but I'm not sure if that counts as 'clinical' setting. Thanks in advance if you have any advice! If there's any WOC nurses out there, I'd like to hear from you!

[Golden_RN, MSN]

I did a lot of wound care in LTC. Yes, LTC is definitely clinical (but does not count as acute experience). Some facilities have a dedicated "treatment nurse" that dedicates his/her shift to wound and other treatments, and other LTC facilities' floor nurses do the wound care (along w/ meds, assessments, and everything else).

A friend of mine did a year on an oncology floor as a new grad, then got a M-F job in a wound clinic.

Neither of us pursued the WOCN, but I think both would be fine places to start. A good old med/surg foundation is always good too.

[Vix, CNA]

On 4/16/2020 at 5:28 PM, Golden_RN said:

I did a lot of wound care in LTC. Yes, LTC is definitely clinical (but does not count as acute experience). Some facilities have a dedicated "treatment nurse" that dedicates his/her shift to wound and other treatments, and other LTC facilities' floor nurses do the wound care (along w/ meds, assessments, and everything else).

A friend of mine did a year on an oncology floor as a new grad, then got a M-F job in a wound clinic.

Neither of us pursued the WOCN, but I think both would be fine places to start. A good old med/surg foundation is always good too.

This is SO helpful! I have worked as a CNA before in the LTC and I recall seeing those sort of nurses in the vicinity. They were LPN/RN who worked the day/night shift and did specific wound treatments and their own cases, and I used to help them with turning and bandaging. It helped ignite my interest! I know that there are a lot of LTCs out here that need the assistance as well, and my heart is in Geriatrics, so I was wondering if it would be a good start.

Thank you so much!

[Okey Foley, BSN, RN]

I work on a surgical floor and we work very closely with the WOC nurses. I have the hope to become a WOC nurse after some more experience and finishing my BSN. On surgery we see a lot of wounds, especially with some of the big abdominal wounds we see wound vacs. Our floor is primarily GI and urological surgery, so we do a lot of ostomies, which go hand in hand with wound care. I'd totally recommend a surgical floor!

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

I have experience in ICU and med surg. My WOC was originally paid for by my hospital. I went to HH/hospice and used it, but let it lapse because it's high $$$ to get and maintain, those companies wouldn't pay up front, would have you pay, then reimburse in increments. The LTC where I worked paid for classes to renew to the tune of about $3000. That was 4 years ago. I'm letting it lapse, as in dialysis, we don't do wound care, but send out referrals to the wound clinics. It's expensive to do on your own dime. Without experience in wound care, the creds don't matter.

I would let any potential employer know during interview that you are interested in wound care. This way, they can help you develop once hired