Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy and Continence Canada (NSWOCC) is a registered charity for over 700 Canadian nurses specializing in the nursing care of patients with challenges in wound, ostomy, and continence (WOC). NSWOCC acts in the public interest for Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy and Continence (NSWOCs) to give national leadership in WOC, promoting high standards for NSWOC practice, education, research, and administration.
An NSWOC is an RN who has graduated from a WOC education program that is recognized by the World Council of Enterostomal Therapists and accredited by the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA). In 2020, the NSWOCC Wound, Ostomy & Continence Institute (WOC-Institute) received the Employer of the Year award for educational contributions and support of certification for WOC nurses in Canada. These post-RN programs offered by the WOC-Institute utilize evidence-informed curricula and incorporate a foundation of both theoretical and clinical education in the trispecialty of WOC care. The WOC-Institute's online and on-site educational programs are delivered by a team of highly knowledgeable and dedicated nurse leaders who are CNA-certified NSWOC. The WOC-Institute programs include the following:
1. Wound Ostomy and Continence Education Program (WOC-EP);
2. Skin Wellness Associate Nurse (SWAN) program;
3. Industry Skin Wellness Associate (ISWA); and
4. Skin Health Programs (Foundations in Skin and Wound Management, Foundations in Ostomy Management and Foundations in Continence Management).
In the fall of 2021, the WOC-Institute will be launching a new innovative first in Canada-the Paramedic Wound Associate (PWA) program and in January 2022, a competency-based advanced debridement course will be offered. A common thread throughout all WOC-Institute programs is the commitment of NSWOCC and the Institute to the integration of lessons learned from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada,1 further supported by our NSWOCC Indigenous Wound, Ostomy and Continence Core Program.
The WOC-EP is a state-of-the-art, paced, 12-month, online program that prepares Bachelor of Nursing (BN)/Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) candidates for the role of an NSWOC. The final exam for the program is the CNA certification exam, which, upon achievement, enables the NSWOC to use the credential WOCC(C). The WOC-EP is a competency and standards-of-practice-guided, rigorous program, aimed at ensuring the high quality of its graduates. Through the competency-based preceptorship component of the program, the WOC-EP strives to mentor and grow tomorrow's nurse leaders. They demonstrate an advanced level of critical thinking, clinical skill, and leadership qualities. The advantage of NSWOCs' trispecialization is especially clear when patients have needs that require more than one area of specialty. In recognition of the rigor of the WOC-EP, students are eligible to receive credits toward a Master of Clinical Science in Wound Healing from Western University and negotiations are underway with other universities to secure advanced standing for our graduates.
In response to an urgent need among Canadian health care professionals for continuing education in the areas of WOC, the competency-based SWAN program was developed. The program is a 5-month, paced, online program that includes a clinical mentorship component. By preparing RNs (with a diploma background) and practical nurses (registered practical nurses [RPNs]/licensed practical nurses [LPNs]) to manage patients with WOC issues, the SWAN program aims to support and empower teams to improve clinical outcomes. Graduates of the program are eligible to use the SWAN designation. The SWAN designation is a means by which graduates can be immediately recognized for the advanced clinical knowledge and skills they gain in the program and their ability to manage stable patients. NSWOCC envisions that SWAN graduates will work as integral team members alongside NSWOCs and other clinical specialists to provide optimal care for patients within their scope of practice and across the spectrum of care, with a particular focus in home care and long-term care settings.
The ISWA program was developed to meet the needs of our industry partners to enhance their WOC knowledge, build confidence, and be better equipped to communicate with health care professionals working in this trispecialty. The paced, online education program is a means to empower industry partners to improve collaboration with clinicians and ultimately improve clinical outcomes. Graduates will have an enhanced ability to position their product portfolios within a clinical practice lens in order to provide optimal support for nurses in this specialty and know how to achieve results through the LEADS in a Caring Environment framework of leadership.2 The program is designed to provide industry partners the advanced ability to work collaboratively with health care professionals and to be ambassadors for ethical partnerships with industry. Upon completion, graduates will be eligible to use the ISWA designation.
The WOC-Institute has established the Skin Health Programs (Foundations in Skin and Wound Management, Foundations in Ostomy Management, and Foundations in Continence Management) for nurses (RN/RPN/LPN) and other allied health professionals who desire a foundational knowledge in wound, ostomy, and/or continence. These programs are self-paced and online and take about 6 weeks to complete. They are also available on-site, upon request, to groups of 20 or more over a 2-day intensive program. Both online and on-site programs are provided by experienced NSWOCs and have a unique mentorship component. Online and on-site "refresher" programs are also available and can be customized for various health care teams.
For more information, please visit http://nswoc.ca/ and https://wocinstitute.ca/.
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