President's Message
Hello Everyone and Happy Fall!
At the Certification Board we have had some amazing achievements to enhance the experience of test preparation as well as just quick and simple ways of reviewing and improving your knowledge. We have mobile flashcard apps now available in all 4 content areas for Wound, Ostomy, Continence and Foot Care nursing. Knowledge on the go, easy to access and available when you have time - so convenient and helpful. The Exam Prep Committee is actively working on the AP Flashcards, with anticipated release of AP Wound Care Flashcards in 2020.
We would like to extend a great big thank you to all of those individuals who participated in our CFCN Job Task Analysis Survey. This survey is so integral to the development of the exam material, it ensures the content is current and reflects practice across the country. Remember every survey sent to you from the Board is an opportunity to help keep our specialty strong; so if you receive a survey take a few minutes to fill out and return to us. Every voice counts!
PODCASTS! A great media piece to discuss certification, challenges, preparation and everything in between. Be on the lookout for our upcoming series of WOCNCB podcasts, Certification Inspiration.
Halloween, Thanksgiving....and then all of our wonderful December celebrations: Kwanza, Hannukah and Christmas. Everything moves so fast in this season...so I would like to ask you to pause for a minute and breathe and remember how absolutely amazing you are!
Any suggestions, concerns, please don't hesitate to email me directly.
Thank you,
Jill Trelease, DNP(c), FNP-BC, CWON, CFCN
WOCNCB® President
What's New
Welcome New WOCNCB® Board Members
Jonathan F. Smith, BSN, RN, CFCN Chugiak, Alaska
Sarah K. Erslev, BSN, RN, CWOCN, CFCN Golden, Colorado
Kathleen M. Kump, DNP, RN, FNP, MHSA, CWOCN, Kansas City, Kansas
Jonathan and Sarah will start new four year board terms in January 2020. Kathleen is currently a WOCNCB® Board Member and was re-elected and will continue to serve the board thru 2023. Thank you for volunteering your time to the WOC and foot care nursing specialties!
New Mobile Flash Card Apps Available
Now get all four specialty mobile apps to practice questions anywhere, anytime! Each mobile app features more than 200 questions and answers, detailed rationales and references to help you prepare for the exam and track your progress.
Customize your studying to meet your needs! The app provides detailed results tracking and quiz builders to flag your weak areas for further review.
- $19.95 for 6 month subscriptions
- $39.95 for 12 month subscriptions
Visit www.wocncb.org to purchase the mobile apps. Then install the apps and start preparing today!
Printed flash card sets for Wound, Ostomy, Continence and Foot Care also available, click here to purchase.
Did you Know?
It takes over a year for a question to be placed on a WOCNCB® exam?
Lifecycle of a Test Question Part 1
While all WOCNCB® certificants took a certification exam, not everyone knows how the certification exams are created. Using a chart from our testing company, Scantron (formerly Castle), we’d like to share with you the process used to develop our certification exams.
Exam questions are created through a rigorous process that takes more than a year. Exam questions are written by WOCNCB® certified nurses who volunteer to serve on exam committees and are actively working in their specialties. We select volunteers to serve on the committees who represent different geographical regions, years of experience, and practice settings.
Authoring -The first step in the process is authoring. There are separate exam writing committees for wound, ostomy, and continence; foot care; and advanced practice wound, ostomy, and continence. Only nurses certified in that specialty can author items. Volunteers use the exam content outline to write items, and items are written to reflect the knowledge level of minimally competent professionals. Each test item includes a reference citation and the task code from the exam content outline.
Review, Edit & Revise -Once items are written, they are reviewed by members of the Item Review Committee (IRC) for applicability, accuracy, grammar, clarity of content, and matching the exam content outline. Items can be sent back to the exam committee for revision as needed.
Psychometrician Review -After questions have been reviewed by the IRC and edited as necessary by the exam committee, they are reviewed by a psychometrician with Scantron to ensure that the questions have validity, reliability, and legal defensibility.
Part 2 Lifecycle of a Test Question will be in the next WOCNCB E-News!.
Testing Company Name Change
Our testing company, Castle Worldwide, has become a Scantron Assessment Solutions Business. In the coming weeks you will see a changeover to using the Scantron name instead of Castle Worldwide. All of the same staff is working with WOCNCB®, and the same testing centers will be available to applicants.
CE opportunity for WOC Nurses @Desert Foot!
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Earn an estimated 20 CEs! The conference is focused on evidence-based and best practices to improve:
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Interactive workshops focus on advanced technologies that provide attendees with hands-on practical experience and training on surgical procedures, advanced wound care, and new techniques in healing the lower extremity. This year two WOCNCB Board members will be presenting at Desert Foot:
- Jill Trelease, DNP(c), FNP-BC, CWON, CFCN Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Indications for the Foot
- Melayne Martin, BSN, RN, CWOCN Wound Care and Podiatry Patients in Need of NPWT
Learn more about the CE offerings and sessions by visiting Desert Foot.
Helping Hands
WOCNCB® Certificants Volunteer for Youth Rally
Each year the Youth Rally has a dedicated team of Licensed Medical Professionals who have experience with wound, ostomy and continence nursing. Some certificants share their experience:
Rachel Kaminski BSN, RN, CWOCN
As nurses, we pride ourselves on our ability to treat all our patients as individuals and recognize them for the whole human being that they are. We learn about their medical history, family dynamics, eating habits, what teams they root for (Go Cardinals), even their hobbies. Often we get glimpses into the emotional struggles they are battling. They usually are coming to us at their worst, when they are sick, needing surgery or maybe an adjustment in their treatment plan. We work diligently to give them a better quality of life.
And while all that is admirable, we never get to experience our patients in their element. We don’t get the opportunity to see what that quality of life looks like. Youth Rally is an opportunity to see that quality of life first hand. Youth Rally helped me to see the person and not the diagnosis or medical condition.
Once you have the gift of seeing that quality of life you will forever be changed. You cannot assist at Youth Rally and come back the same person. I am a better WOC nurse because of the opportunity to volunteer for a week at Youth Rally. I saw campers in wheelchairs, swim, climb rock walls, learn tennis, ride roller coasters, lean on each other for support and thrive. They can be themselves and no one is telling them about their limitations. They have a network of friends who understand them and they can be themselves. They become more independent in their care. I promise if you volunteer at Youth Rally it will be the most profound experience in your nursing career. As nurses the biggest thing we can do to help Youth Rally is to spread awareness. It is not just potential campers we seek but donors to keep this life saving camp going and it truly is life saving for many kids. We also seek potential counselors. Most our counselors have bowel and bladder issues as well and can relate to our kids in a way that meets them where they are. You may be the one to mention Youth Rally and start that ball rolling in their mind, or perhaps they will mention Rally to a friend who can benefit from camp. We also recognize that many regions and facilities donate money to sponsor campers yearly. We thank you for continued support year after year and look forward to it in the future.
Above: 2019 Youth Rally volunteer nurses and counselors in Seattle, Washington.
Applications for July 20th - 25th, 2020 Youth Rally in San Diego, CA will be available February 2019. Visit Youth Rally website to learn more.
Congratulations to Phillip Botham, MSN, RN, CWON, Chair of the Public Policy and Advocacy Committee
Phill has been asked to serve as one of the Board of Directors for Youth Rally. Phill will continue to be Chair of the Public Policy and Advocacy Committee thru 2019.
Apply for 2 or more certifications at the same time & Save $$$!
The WOCNCB®'s application fees are competitively priced, and the fee structure includes substantial savings for nurses who apply for two or more certifications at the same time.
Application fees for 5 year certification:
- One Specialty Exam: $395 (equates to $79/year x 5)
- Two Specialty Exams: $510 (equates to $102/year x 5)
- Three Specialty Exams: $610 (equates to $122/year x 5)
- Four Specialty Exams: $670 (equates to $134/year x 5)
All WOCNCB® official announcements are sent via email
Update us with your contact information in one simple step!
Remember your certifications are with WOCNCB®. Please keep both WOCNCB® and the WOCN Society up-to-date. Don't risk a certification lapse! All WOCNCB® official announcements are sent via e-mail only. If you have changed your e-mail address in the last 5 years, please contact the WOCNCB® office at info@wocncb.org. Help us help you to keep your contact information up-to-date to receive recertification reminders!
The WOCN Society and WOCNCB® do not share contact databases to prevent any perceived or actual conflict of interest on the part of the certification board. Please keep both WOCNCB® and the WOCN Society up-to-date.
To learn more regarding the WOCN Society and the benefits of membership please visit wocn.org.
Please keep your email address Up-to-Date!
Save The Date!
Look for WOCNCB® at these upcoming events:
- NOVA Annual Meeting: October 24-25, Miami, FL. Learn more to register
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WOCNCB® 555 East Wells Street, Suite 1100 Milwaukee, WI 53202-3823 Phone: (888) 496-2622 Fax: (414) 276-2146 Email: info@wocncb.org |
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