Certification

The NAWC® offers the "Wound Care Certification Examination" to measure the academic and technical competence of eligible candidates in the area of Skin and Wound Care Management.

Credentials

Upon obtaining a passing score on the Certification examination, candidates may use the initials "WCC®", Wound Care Certified, to designate their status. Credentials are awarded for a five (5) year period.

Upon expiration of the credentialing term, Certificants are required to recertify with the NAWC to maintain their credentials.

Scope of Practice

The WCC provides direct patient wound and skin care in acute, long-term care and home care settings. The WCC plays an important role as a direct care provider, educator and resource for optimum patient outcomes in wound and skin care management. The WCC scope of practice is performed in accordance with legislation code and scope of practice as determined by each respective professional state regulatory board.

Skin and wound management includes the identification, assessment, management, prevention, and continuing evaluation of patients with alterations in skin/tissue integrity, that includes but is not limited to pressure, vascular, arterial and diabetic ulcerations, as well as skin conditions resulting from incontinence, surgical procedures and/or trauma.

Skin and Wound Management is a specialized area that focuses on overall skin care and promotion of an optimal wound environment, including prevention, therapeutic interventions and rehabilitative interventions.

Skin and Wound Management requires the skills of the interdisciplinary team that includes the physician, nurses, WCC, dietitian, physical therapist, occupational therapist, social workers, and other health care disciplines or providers depending upon each individual patient assessment. The physician is the leader of the interdisciplinary care team. Skin and Wound Care management plans must always be prescribed by the physician.

Eligibility for Certification

Applicants for the NAWC WCC Certification Examination must meet all of the following criteria:

1.   Active unrestricted license as a Registered Nurse, Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, Physical Therapist, Physical Therapist Assistant, Occupational Therapist, Physician or Physician’s Assistant.

2.    Must meet one of the following:

A. Education Option
1.  Successful graduate of NAWC approved “Wound Management Certification Training Course”.  

2.  Documentation of active involvement in the care of wound care patients, or in management, education or research directly related to wound care while actively licensed for at least two (2) years full-time/four (4) years part-time within the past five (5) years.
B. Certification Option
1.  Current active certification with Wound Ostomy Continence Nursing Certification Board (WOCNCB) as a "CWCN", “CWON”, "CWOCN" or Current active certification with American Academy of Wound Management (AAWM) as a "CWS".

2.  Documentation of active involvement in the care of wound care patients, or in management, education or research directly related to wound care while actively licensed for at least two (2) years full-time/four (4) years part-time within the past five (5) years.
C. Experiential Option
1.  Documentation of active involvement in the care of wound care patients, or in management, education or research directly related to wound care while actively licensed for at least four (4) years full-time within the past five(5) years.

2.  Completion of sixty (60) contact hours in skin and wound care within the past five (5) years. To receive credit for the contact hours, the educational program must be approved/accredited by either the state board governing your primary license (or any state board governing the professional license type under which you practice), American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), American Physical Therapy Association, (APTA), National Alliance of Wound Care (NAWC®), Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), or Council on Podiatric Medical Education (CPME).

D. Preceptor Option
1.  Successful graduate of NAWC® approved “Wound Management Certification Training Course”.

2.  Complete a minimum of 120 hours of hands on clinical training with an NAWC® approved clinical preceptor after completion of “Wound Management Certification Training Course”.

3.    Completion of application and required supporting documentation.

4.    Payment of required fees.

5.    Receive passing score on the NAWC WCC Examination.


NAWC Approved Wound Management Certification Training Courses

"Skin and Wound Management Certification Training Course"

Offered by the Wound Care Education Institute
1700 Park Street Suite 100
Naperville, Illinois 60563
www.wcei.net

Content of Examination

The certification exam is an objective, multiple choice test consisting of up to 110 questions and is available in a computerized format or paper & pencil format with a total testing time of two (2) hours. A passing score is required to become certified.*

The questions for the certification examination are prepared by the NAWC Certification Committee and teams of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). The examination questions are written to assess cognitive levels of knowledge, comprehension, application and analysis related to skin and wound management. The content for examination questions is based upon job practice analyses conducted to ensure the content is current, job-related and representative of the responsibilities of wound care practitioners. Each question is subjected to editing for grammar, bias and technical adequacy by experts from the testing agency. For detailed content listing see the Candidate Handbook.

The examination is weighted in approximately the following breakdown:

Data Collection
7%
Normal Skin, Wounds, and the Wound Healing Process
9%
Systems Review and Head to Toe Visual Exams
6%
Wound Description
12%
Patient’s Nutritional Status
7%
Wound Healing and Monitoring
13%
Wound Etiology
10%
Treatment Recommendations
18%
Interdisciplinary Wound Treatment and Prevention
6%
Wound Care Education and Training
6%
Legal, Ethics, and Policy
6%

*The passing score is based upon recommendations from statistical analysis performed by the testing corporation, and is set by the NAWC Certification Committee.

References for Study

The following reference list may be helpful in preparing for the examination. This list does not attempt to include all the acceptable references available, nor is the examination based solely on these sources. The NAWC does not sponsor or endorse any one reference over another. Some of the references can be accessed online, while others are available at local book stores.

Clinical Guide to Wound Care, Sixth Edition, Cathy Thomas Hess, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Publishers, 2008.

Acute and Chronic Wounds: Current Management Concepts, Third Edition, Ruth A Bryant and Denise P Nix, Mosby, Inc. Publisher, 2007.

Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing Secrets, Catherine Milne, Lisa Q. Corbett, and Debra Duboc; Publisher Hanley & Belfus, 2002.

Wound Care: A Collaborative Practice Manual for Health Professionals, Third Edition, Carrie Sussman, Barbara Bates Jensen, Publisher: Lippincott, Williams, & Wilkins, 2007.

Advances in Skin & Wound Care Journal, Published by Lippincott, Williams, & Wilkins.

Ostomy/Wound Management Journal, Published by HMP Communications.

Examination Administration

The Wound Care Certification Examination is sponsored by the National Alliance of Wound Care. The independent NAWC Certification Committee has been established to develop and maintain the WCC certification program and all its essential activities. Computerized versions of the examination are administered at computer based testing facilities managed by LaserGrade/PSI Computer Testing. LaserGrade/PSI maintains testing sites throughout the United States and in other countries.  Proctored paper and pencil examinations are available in various scheduled locations around the US.

Accommodation Procedures


An applicant may request a change in examination procedures or process due to disability, handicap, or other reason. The forms, "Request for Special Accommodations and Documentation of Disability Needs", located in the Candidate Handbook, must be completed and received before the deadline of the requested examination date. The request must be specific as to the nature of the problem. The applicant is responsible for demonstrating that the request should be granted.

Examination Results

Your exam results will indicate "Pass" or "Fail".

Official results are reported in written form only, in person or by U.S. mail. Results are not reported over the telephone or by facsimile. Candidates taking the computerized version of the examination will receive their results immediately following the completion of the exam. Candidates taking the paper and pencil version of the exam will have the option to receive their exam results by email within 7-10 business days of the exam date. This option will be offered at the time of the examination.

Examination Disclosure

The examination and answer sheets remain solely the property of the NAWC®. These materials are confidential and are not available for review by any person or agency for any reason.

Review of Examinations

For security reasons, examination materials are not available for review. Neither the testing corporation nor the NAWC will discuss specific questions on any of the examinations. Comments about questions should be directed in writing to the NAWC Certification Committee. The NAWC will review comments relating to the exam but will not make a written response to comments.

Candidates who believe their examination results were improperly recorded or their examination graded inaccurately may ask that their examination be hand scored. To request examination hand scoring individuals should complete a signature form available from NAWC headquarters or Click here.

Confidentiality

NAWC strictly protects the security of your personal information and honors your choices for its intended use. We carefully protect your data from loss, misuse, unauthorized access or disclosure, alteration, or destruction. Though we make every effort to preserve user privacy, we may need to disclose personal information when required by law wherein we have a good-faith belief that such action is necessary to comply with a current judicial proceeding, a court order or legal process. Otherwise, your personal information is never shared outside the company without your permission. Inside the company, data is stored in password controlled servers with limited access.





Retesting Policy


Candidates who take the certification examination and are unsuccessful may retake the examination for a total of three (3) additional re-examination attempts within two (2) years of the first examination date. Candidates who are unsuccessful after a total of four attempts are required to wait one (1) year after their final attempt before reapplying and retaking the examination. Candidates are encouraged to self-study or attend a wound management training course during this time. Unsuccessful candidates are not eligible for any refunds.

Appeals

Individuals may appeal decisions regarding eligibility, examination results, and disciplinary matters made by the NAWC Certification Program by submitting a written letter of appeal to the NAWC Certification Committee within thirty (30) days of the NAWC decision or action that is being appealed. Certificants may request a copy of the appeal policy by contacting the NAWC office.

Certification Certificate

The NAWC will award an official numbered certificate to all candidates upon passing the certification exam, denoting status as WCC, Wound Care Certified.

Recertification

Upon expiration of the WCC certification, credentials can be reinstated by retraining, continuing education, examination or CEOP program. For recertification details click here.

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Examination Statistics*


                                                                          2008                     2009

Number of Exam Takers                                         2136                     2076
Number Certified                                                   1997                     1672
2009 Pass Rate 81%
Total Currently Certified - 7820   
*data as of 12.31.09