Wound Care Certification Organization

National Alliance of Wound Care®

NAWC®

Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing Certification Board

WOCN®

American Academy of Wound Management

AAWM

Number of Certificants

8400

5800

2900

400

Credential(s)

Offered

WCC® Wound Care Certified

Credential available to: Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical / Vocational Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Physical Therapists, Physical Therapist Assistants, Occupational Therapists, Physicians, or Physician’s Assistants with active unrestricted licenses

CWCN® Certified Wound Care Nurse

CWS® Certified Wound Specialist

Any licensed healthcare professional with a minimum of a Bachelors degree in life sciences related field

CWSP™ Certified Wound Specialist Physician (CWSP certification is not accredited)

CWCA™ Certified Wound Care Associate

Any licensed healthcare professional with at least three (3) years of clinical experience

Accreditation(s)

NCCA National Commission for Certifying Agencies, an administratively independent resource recognized as the authority on accreditation standards for professional certification organizations/programs

NCCA National Commission for Certifying Agencies, an administratively independent resource recognized as the authority on accreditation standards for professional certification organizations/ programs (CWOCN,CWCN,COCN,CCCN)

ABSNC Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (CWOCN, CWCN, COCN, CCCN)

NCCA National Commission for Certifying Agencies an administratively independent resource recognized as the authority on accreditation standards for professional certification organizations/ programs

NONE

Eligibility Options

Occupations listed above

AND

Currently active in care of wound patients, or in management, education, or research directly related to wound care while actively licensed for at least two years

OR

Preceptorship of 120 clinical hours may be substituted for the required work experience above and must be completed within one (1) year of successful course completion

RN licensure

PLUS

Bachelors Degree or higher

AND

 40 hours of didactic wound specialty education in a WOCN Society accredited  single specialty wound care program and 20 additional hours dedicated to meet student learning needs

AND

40 hours of precepted clinical practice in WOCN Society accredited single or tri- specialty wound care program

An experiential pathway is available for nurses that cannot attend a WOCN Society-accredited program

Occupations listed above

AND

Bachelors Degree or higher in a life sciences related field

AND

Three (3) years of clinical experience in wound care

No additional supervised practicum required

Occupations listed above

AND

Three (3) years of clinical experience in wound care

No additional didactic education required

No additional supervised practicum required

Certification Fees

5 years:

$330 examination & app. fee 

(examination & app. fee is included in the tuition of NAWC approved Wound Management Certification Training Program)

No annual maintenance fees

5 years:

 $300 examination fee

Plus

$50 additional fee for each additional specialty certification.

(Additional cost for WOCN society accredited tri or single specialty wound  care program AND the cost of a preceptor)

No annual maintenance fees

10 years:

$550 examination fee

Plus

$150  annual re-registration fee to maintain certification   

10 years:

$300 examination fee

Plus

$150  annual re-registration fee to maintain certification  

Recertification

Requirements

$330 Recertification fee

Plus

Successful completion of one of the following:

•NAWC approved Wound Management  Certification Training Program

•Continuing education 60 hours

•Continuing education and Outreach      Program (30) hours Contact hours, plus Community Outreach, plus one of the following three: 1. publication, 2.research or  3. leadership

•Examination

$300 Recertification fee

 Plus

$50 additional fee for each additional specialty certification

AND

Successful completion of one of the following:

•Examination

•Portfolio submission

(minimum of 10 CE credits plus professional activities or projects related to specialty focus)

$400 Recertification  fee

Plus

 $150 annual re-registration fee to maintain certification  

AND

•Minimum of six (6) CEU’s annually

AND

•Self-Assessment examination every 10 years

$300 Recertification  fee Plus

 $150 annual re-registration fee to maintain certification  

AND

•Minimum of six (6) CEU’s annually

AND

•Self-Assessment examination every 10 years

Ten (10) Year Cost Summary Comparison

$660 total recertification fees

$600 total recertification fees

 Plus

$50 additional fee for each additional specialty certification

$1600 total recertification fee and annual re-registration fee to maintain certification  

$1500 recertification fee and annual re-registration fee to maintain certification