WOCNCB Job Task Analysis

Every five years, WOCNCB conducts a Job Task Analysis to identify, document, and evaluate the specific tasks, knowledge, skills, and abilities of the Wound, Ostomy, Continence and/or Foot Care Nurse.

Validation Study

A panel of subject matter experts evaluate the exam content specifications for each certification exam to determine the scope of practice and create a list of finalized test specifications used in a validation survey to determine final exam content via domain and task weights.

Survey Design

An online survey is designed, and respondents rate each of the tasks by criticality, frequency, and importance.

Rating Scales

Ratings are collected for each task by criticality, frequency, and importance. The average ratings for each task are used to determine updated test specifications.

Survey respondents are also asked to give weight by estimated percentages for the exam domain areas, which determines the amount devoted by percentage to each task on the exam. 

Summary

The results of the validation surveys are analyzed, containing the calculated domain and task weights. The WOCNCB Board uses this data to determine and approve the final domain and task weights for the exams in an Exam Content Outline. Following the approval of the finalized Exam Content Outline, the exam committees are tasked with updating exam questions linked to the new outline.

Wound Treatment Associate – Certified (WTA-C)

In 2022-2023, a Job Task Analysis for the WTA-C was conducted.

Upon conclusion of the survey ratings, the final exam content outline/blueprint was established and approved for use. The new WTA-C exam forms launched in March 2025 for items written from the 2023 exam content outline/blueprint.

Below are some of the final report findings.

WTA-C Job Task Analysis Report Findings 2023

Certified Wound Ostomy and/or Continence Nurse – (CWCN; COCN; CCCN)

In 2023, WOCNCB conducted a Job Task Analysis for the CWCN, COCN, and CCCN exams.

To validate the work of the job task analysis panel, an online survey incorporating all 3 exams (CWCN, COCN, and CCCN) was designed. All respondents were initially asked to provide demographic information used to evaluate the representativeness of the respondents and to determine whether respondents were qualified to provide further ratings.

Upon conclusion of the survey ratings, the final exam content outline/blueprint was established and approved for use. The outline is used by SMEs to write exam items that must be linked to one of the domains in the exam content outline/blueprint.  The new CWCN, COCN, and CCCN exam forms launched in March 2025 for items written from the 2023 exam content outline/blueprint.

The new CWCN test specifications comprise 14 tasks organized into five performance domains

1. Assessment
2. Treatment
3. Intervention
4. Care Planning
5. Education and Referral