saturnCWS

Any PT who graduated from a CAPTE accredited school in the United States is qualified to do wound care . Wound care is an integral part of the PT curriculum. The masters program in PT is now being replaced by DPT (doctor of physical therapy ). During PT school , the study of integumentary and MS system is so intensed requiring cadaver dissection during which one can best study the skin down to the skeletal level . Wound care is also heavily tested on the National Physical Therapy Licensure Exam . The APTA (American Physical Therapy Association ) and state practice acts recognize wound care as part of PT practice . A lot of hospitals, SNF's , out patient and homehealth agencies use PT's as part of the wound care team . I have been a wound PT for decades and I have practiced in all health care delivery settings doing wound care . Most institution, though , require that a PT who practice wound care should be certified by a recognized wound certification agencies . I have been certified by the American Board of Wound Management with the designation as CWS(certified wound specialist ), same board and examination taken by MD's, Podiatirsts, PTs and nurses . It was a very difficult exam which consistently has a pass rate of 60%. This is not the certification where they will teach you in a week and test you at the end . You need to do wound very well in order to pass . It would be almost impossible to pass this test without years of wound care experience. Hope this will help educate the members of this forum regarding the advent of interdisciplinary era of wound care . Yes , it is no longer a discipline specific function as it was seen in the past .

If you have BSN degree, you may wanna try taking the credentialing process by the American Board of Wound Management to get the CWS (Certified Wound Specialist ) designation.