Once again, here we are, 365 days wiser and headed into unknown adventures! The Society is stronger than ever and has spent the last year involved in finding out what you, the members, and other non-Society members think about many things. We asked about member services and products, Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) salary and productivity, and we got fantastic information. Thank you for all you did in 2022 to care for patients, each other, and to help guide the direction of the Society in 2023!
This is a very busy time for the Society. I want to highlight some very important things that are going on right now that may be of interest to you. If you are not aware, I am pleased to give you the information, and if you are waiting to act, now is the time!
First, the WOCNF Program. The application process for the inaugural class of WOCNFs (WOC nurse fellows) is currently open. The WOCNF Program is meant to recognize Society members who have significantly contributed to the Society. Applications for this high award will be open through March 1, 2023, at 11:59 PM EST. Applicants will be notified of decisions in early April 2023. There will be a big class party that ANY person can attend, and this inaugural dinner and party will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, in conjunction with WOCNext 2023. A WOCNF is an award that should acknowledge major work in an individual's career. I am so excited to induct this class and cannot wait to hear the extraordinary stories that will be told.
Next, the Society is having its first annual and dedication Pharmacology Day. Similar in format to the Ostomy Day Offering, it is intended to educate nurses and advanced practice nurses in pharmacology. Many need dedicated pharmacology hours for certification requirements/licensure requirements. This is a highly asked for offering and will be offered in mid-February. If you haven't registered for this event yet, please do so. We are very pleased to offer this to all and have been working with other organizations to spread the word about this educational offering. This will be offered postevent on the continuing education center and will have the opportunity for bonus digital content as part of the registration.
The Wound Treatment Associate (WTA) program has been in existence for more than a decade. We have almost 10,000 WTA program graduates. We appreciate the WTA program and feel that it is a legacy program for the Society, and the numbers prove that. However, we heard you loudly and clearly that the WTA program is excellent and not only is a sum of its parts but in fact also has value individually. We heard from you that it would be desirable for the WTA modules to be offered a bit more individually to assist you in staff education, onboarding, annual competency training, and more. So, we are proudly announcing the "WTA Your Way" program. This program allows modules to be purchased individually. It will not require a course coordinator, and best of all, if someone decides to take the whole program and needs clinical, we can connect people to potential preceptors in their area. WTA Your Way could be a tool to help you be an educator in multiple places at multiple times and is a novel way to get nurses and other exposed to clinically sound information when they want it and on demand.
Of course, the Society elections are now open! You should have received your ballot in e-mail, but sometimes the ballots may go to junk or spam, based on the firewall at your facility. If you haven't received a ballot yet, and cannot find it anywhere, please do reach out to mailto:[email protected] and a ballot will certainly be sent to you. This year we are electing multiple positions; and voting is a great way for you to be involved in the Society.
Don't forget to register for conference in Las Vegas-I believe the program will be wonderful, and I know we will be experiencing some novel and relevant content that can be applied when we return to work after the meeting. As a bonus this year, there will be a debridement session offered, and for those of you who need annual/periodic education and/or check off for that, this should fill that need.
Whew! So much to talk about! Though we are in winter, it looks like we are already as busy as bees! Stay well and take care and be kind to one another! Here's to a fabulous year!
Respectfully,
Dea J. Kent, DNP, RN, NP-C, CWOCN
President
Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society