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National Alliance of Wound Care

The National Alliance of Wound Care (NAWC), a multidisciplinary professional wound care certification (WCC) organization offering the WCC credential to nurses of all levels, therapists, physicians, and their assistants, has announced that the number of WCCs in the United States had surpassed 4400 at the end of 2007.

 

According to Debbie Hecker, RN, MBA, WCC, Executive Director of the NAWC, 1740 new WCCs entered the wound care industry during 2007, and 1800 more are projected for 2008. "We are so pleased with the response to our certification program, and our feedback from the field tells us that our group is making a difference in treating the wound care patient population. Our plans for 2008 include a continued emphasis on industry awareness for our group and the great advances they are making."

 

In other news, the NAWC has expanded its recertification options. They are as follows:

 

* examination,

 

* training,

 

* continuing education, and

 

* continuing education and outreach program.

 

 

They may be reviewed in detail on the NAWC Web site at http://www.nawccb.org.

 

For more information about recertification or member benefits, contact Linda Dolzen at [email protected] or Ms Hecker at [email protected].

 

[black up pointing small triangle] Information:http://www.nawccb.org

 

American Professional Wound Care Association

 

* Hosting society for WUWHS. The Third Congress of the World Union of Wound Healing Societies (WUWHS) will be held on June 4-8, 2008, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and the American Professional Wound Care Association (APWCA) is 1 of the 2 hosting societies from the United States. Several other hosting societies will participate in this international conference. The event includes a preconference, 3 plenary sessions with an international faculty, and 10 concurrent streams with more than 100 educational sessions.

 

* Delegates will have the opportunity to hear and meet international opinion leaders, visit the world's largest exhibit of the wound care trade, and learn about comprehensive therapeutic strategies and how they can be translated into better wound care.

 

* New wound care certification examination. The APWCA and the American College of Hyperbaric Medicine recognize the new physician wound care certification examination, which will be first offered on June 6, 2008, at the WUWHS conference. The APWCA has been involved in the initiating process, but the certification will be administered through an independent third-party nonprofit organization. Additional information and links for registration to sit for the first open examination are available at http://www.apwca.org.

 

* APWCA White Paper. APWCA presents the white paper, "Principles to Initiate and Maintain a Successful Wound Care Center," through its Web site. The document provides basic recommendations compiled by a multidisciplinary committee and a panel review process. Although it is not designed to be a definitive treatise, it can serve as a guideline around which further thought and discussion can be generated that would be applicable to any particular wound care center.

 

* APWCA2009. Plan now for APWCA2009 on April 1-5, 2009, in Philadelphia, PA.

 

* [black up pointing small triangle] Information:http://www.apwca.org