WOCN info.

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What is WOCN?

It means wound care nursing

I've been a CWOCN for only 2 years so I may not know a lot of info. But to answer some of your questions:

I work in a hospital where we have an outpatient clinic and I also see inpatients as well when I'm consulted.

On the inpatient wound side, I'm consulted when a patient has a wound that needs more of an "expert" opinion on it's treatment. I evaluate the wound and come up with what I think is the best treatment. Whether that be some type of dressing or even referring out to a specialty practice (podiatry, vascular, surgery, etc.). I don't do every dressing change (unless it's a wound VAC or compression wrap), I come up with the plan that the floor RNs can carry out then I re-evaluate the patient and the treatment once or twice a week depending on how extensive the wound is.

On the inpatient ostomy side, I'm mostly consulted for new ostomy patients or if a patient is having trouble with their ostomy. For patients who don't have an ostomy but will be getting one, I teach them about basic ostomy care and mark their abdomen where an ostomy could go (surgeon ultimately has the final decision). For a new ostomate fresh out of surgery, I meet with them about 3 times (or more if needed) and teach them how to care for their ostomy.

Inpatient continence side isn't really used. If I worked with a urologist I would definitely use the continence aspect of CWOCN more frequently. I do caution other RNs that catheters and rectal tubes can damage sphincters and that they should be removed as soon as possible otherwise the patient may face incontinence issues in the future, but that's about the extent of it.

On the outpatient wound side, patient's get referred to our wound clinic. We meet, evaluate and come up with the best treatment. Depending on the dressing, we'll teach the patient how to change it or the patient will come back to use every so often and we'll change the dressing. Sometimes they have home health care or are from a nursing home, so we pass our recommendations on to them.

I occassionally get a referral for an person with an ostomy who is having trouble with their pouches or has skin breakdown. They come in on an outpatient basis where I evaluate what's going on and try to come up with a solution.

Whether this is field is in demand is kind of mixed. Yes, I think it should be in demand because there are a lot of wounds out there that aren't being treated appropriately. We have patients who come in after having the same wound for years and years. From what I've seen, you won't see many job postings looking for a CWOCN. What you may have to do is market yourself and tell them why having you would be greatly beneficial. I was very fortunate to get to where I am now - I was interested in becoming a wound nurse, the wound clinic needed one and viola, I had a job. I know this isn't reality for a lot of people but I do still think it's worth obtaining your CWOCN. It'll definitely make you more marketable!

For my training, I went to Cleveland and had education at Cleveland Clinic. I actually lived in Cleveland for 2 months (how long the on-site education is). I believe the online version is 6 months then you have to find a preceptor to get your clinical hours in, but I may be wrong. Once you get your education, you're then a WOCN. You'll have to take 3 tests (one for wound, one for ostomy, one for continence) in order to be fully certified. Now, you can always opt out of taking any of the 3 tests. So, if you only want to be certified in wound, you can choose to not take the ostomy and continence version. Your certification would be CWCN (certified wound care nurse). Ostomy only would be COCN, CCCN would be continence only. You can mix and match as well (be certified in 2 and not all 3). You have to recertify every 5 years, which means you'll have to take the 3 (or however many you want) tests again.

I suggest going to wocncb.org . That's the certification board's website. It will walk you through the different cities that offer education, what all you need to be accepted into the class and whatever else you need. That's where I got all of my information when I was looking, anyway.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do! I'm okay with (trying to) answer any more questions if you have any!

Thank you so much for your lengthy reply! I really do appreciate it. I'm really having a hard time getting insider information on this so I appreciate you responding to my questions. I definitely intend to apply to the program at Emory as soon as I can pay for the tuition. So you applied to jobs in wound care before getting becoming a certified WOCN? I've been looking in my area and I really haven't found anything. I'm really hoping that is not a indicator of the market for this position but more of me just not knowing where or how to look. It would be ideal to find a job who would pay for the certification. Ha! No such luck thus far though. Again, thank you so much!

I was very fortunate with my job situation. I had made it known to my director (at the time) that I had a goal to become a wound nurse. Luckily, at the same time the wound clinic in the same hospital was looking for a wound nurse. So my name was passed along, they sent me to become certified (also very fortunate as it can be expensive) and had a new job when I returned. Technically I started working as just a WOC nurse (obtained the education but wasn't certified) and within the next 6 months I took the tests and became a CWOCN.

I don't think that it's a dead end certification but that most places don't realize that they would benefit from having a CWOCN. You may have better luck marketing yourself to nursing homes or home health care agencies if you can't find an actual clinic. It also might help if you're willing to move, I occasionally see listings for wound nurses but they're often in other states (I live in Illinois)

I had a classmate that got the certification without having a job to go back to (she returned to work on a general medical floor in a hospital) but within 6 months or so she got a new job at a new hospital as a CWOCN.

It's tough going to achieve something without knowing whether you're wasting your time, but I do think if you obtain your CWOCN you will find a job eventually..it just might take a few months.