The Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing Certification Board (WOCNCB) offers recertification in Wound Ostomy Continence (WOC) and Foot Care nursing. This option is available to those individuals only after basic WOC certification has been demonstrated by examination. Recertification by the Professional Growth Program (PGP) can provide a sense of accomplishment, achievement, and opportunity to tailor your practice in a professional manner to meet high standards of care for your patients. It takes your practice from a novice to expert continuum allowing the clinician to achieve validation within his or her scope of practice.

To be eligible for the PGP program, you must hold current RN licensure and current WOCNCB certification in all specialties for which recertification is sought. You cannot submit a portfolio if you first fail the examination for that recertification cycle.

Nine categories of professional growth activities are available to the clinician to complete his or her portfolio within a 5-year timeline. Each activity is categorized and assigned a point value in PGP points. You must earn a minimum of 80 points in each specialty of practice during the 5-year period, with at least 40 of the points relating to the clinical specialty. Some categories have a minimum or maximum number of points required. It is imperative that you begin compiling your information early and not wait until the year your certification expires to begin developing your portfolio.

Common activities that you may consider for your portfolio could include

1. precepting WOC students,

2. developing a patient education tool,

3. conference poster presentation,

4. presentation/lecture,

5. professional organization involvement,

6. academic courses, and

7. all of the above.

Professional practice subjects are accepted as part of your portfolio as well. These activities must impact or enhance the role of the WOC nurse. Examples of these can include

1. marketing your business,

2. preceptor workshop,

3. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act,

4. reimbursement update for acute care,

5. outpatient billing/reimbursement,

6. ignorance is no defense: nursing and malpractice,

7. evidence-based practice from conception to implementation, and

8. leadership development workshop.

Portfolios can be either electronically submitted or typewritten. It is imperative to check the deadlines prior to submission so that your portfolio is received on time.1

The WOCNCB is committed to updating the PGP process to reflect the most current clinical practices of the WOC nursing profession. Due to evolving changes in the WOC practices, the PGP process has a category that allows individuals to capture activities not identified elsewhere in the handbook. With that said, it is imperative to use the most current handbook as a resource to allow you the possibility of submitting a variety of activities to reflect the activities you perform in your practice.

Submitting portfolios has been an avenue of recertification since 1998. Over the past 10 years, our numbers in recertifying by PGP have grown immensely. During the pilot year, there were less than 70, and numbers have grown to more than 175 this year.

Over the past 10 years, our certificants have felt this process to be rewarding as well as a reflection on what they can accomplish-taking them beyond entry-level practice. We encourage you to use the PGP process to demonstrate your achievements!!

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