Administrators

If your facility supports certification, you may be eligible for the "Employer Recognition Award". The WOCNCB Employer Recognition Award is awarded annually to honor an organization that has demonstrated exemplary support of the certification process in WOC nursing. Click here to find out more.

Value of WOCNCB Certification for Administrators

• Improved Outcomes
  A board certified nurse provides the highest quality care to patients. A survey of nurse managers conducted by the American Board of Nursing Specialties reported a significant positive impact on patient care and safety when they hired certified nurses (Stromborg et al., 2005). Certified nurses possess more confidence in detecting symptoms and initiating prompt intervention (Cary, 2001).
  
  A secondary analysis from 652 hospitals showed that a 10% increase of certified baccalaureate nurses decreased the odds of inpatient 30-day mortality by 2% (Kendall-Gallager,2011). A test of 460 Registered Nurses showed certified wound nurses scored significantly higher on a Pressure Ulcer knowledge test than non-certified RNs or RNs certified in other specialties (Zulkowski et al., 2007). As a result of hiring board certified nurses you have fewer malpractice claims (Trossman, 2002). A retrospective analysis (Bolton et al., 2004) revealed that 78.5 percent of those patients treated by a board certified wound care nurse healed in comparison to the 36.3 percent of those treated by non-certified nurses.
• WOCNCB® Certification highlighted in study:
  A study by The Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing (JWOCN®) concluded:*
  • Hospitals employing WOCNCB® certified nurses had lower HAPI rates and better pressure injury risk assessment and prevention practices.
  • Stage 3 and 4 HAPI occurrences among hospitals employing WOCNCB® certified nurses were nearly half the rate of hospitals not employing these nurses.
  *Reference: The Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing:
  May/June 2017 – Volume 44 – Issue 3 – p 283-292
• Board certified nurses provide cost effective, high quality care while gaining respect from their patients.
• Improved Retention
  As a healthcare provider, your commitment to hiring board certified nurses distinguishes you from other competing healthcare organizations. Fewer than 15 percent of the 2.1 million nurses who currently practice have sought voluntary certification (McGuire, 2003).
• Board certified nurses have a sense of personal achievement from continued professional development.
• Certification directly impacts job satisfaction, which is a key driver for retention and improving your bottom line.
• Improved ability to work independently
• Legal Defensibility
  Accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) and the American Board of Nursing Specialties (ABNS), the WOCNCB has demonstrated a commitment to development and administration of a legally defensible, psychometrically sound certification exam. The achievement of these prestigious accreditations exceeds the requirements of the American Psychological Association and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The WOCNCB certification recognizes competency in a specialized nursing practice that reflects both didactic education and clinical experience. On an international level, the Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing Certification Board is the only accredited organization empowered to Board certify clinicians in our specialty.

References on file

Certification through WOCNCB

Certification ensures that a nurse is knowledgeable and well qualified to provide specialized care at your institution. It is important to you, the employer, and it is even more important to your patients.

Benefits of employing a board certified nurse

The healthcare industry is a vast and ever-changing landscape of therapies and technologies. Keeping in step with these changes is how you provide evidence-based care to your patients. At the same time, reports of unsafe care, escalating costs, rising litigations and a nursing shortage threaten the industry. This is why it is so important to find competent, high-qualified nurses who are committed to continued professional growth.