WOCTalk (WOCN Society)

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Rhonda Sullivan, DNP, PhD, MSN, MBA, CWON, LNCC, NE-BC. Dr. Sullivan has 26 years of experience, 19 of which have been dedicated to the wound and ostomy specialties. Rhonda is a Board-Certified Nurse Executive, Wound and Ostomy Nurse and Legal Nurse. She currently serves as a Quality and Safety Clinical Specialist where she serves as clinical support to healthcare facilities seeking to improve patient outcomes. She is a published author, researcher, medical legal expert and international speaker on pressure injury and deep tissue injury prevention. Her recent high scoring abstract at the WOCN Society’s educational event, WOCNext, earned her the Top Scoring First Time Poster Presenter Award in Preventative Practices for Wounds. This poster evaluates the Norton Pressure Sore Risk Assessment Scale (Norton Scale) for use in the critical care setting. Listen in to learn more about Rhonda’s poster and her tips for submitting a successful abstract.

The abstract for Rhonda’s co-authored poster, “New Critical Care Specific Pressure Injury Risk Assessment Tool Demonstrates Excellent Validity and Reliability in a Simulated Patient Environment”, can be found by clicking here.

The co-authors of this poster were Rhonda Sullivan, DNP, PhD, MSN, MBA, RN, CWON, LNCC; Elizabeth Barnby, DNP, ACNP-BC, FNP-BC, CRNP; and Shannon Graham, DNP, RN, NE-BC.

Many thanks to Stryker for supporting the Top Scoring First Time Poster Presenter Award in Preventative Practice for Wounds.

Click here to view a closer look at the features that matter most when managing chronic wound exudate.

This podcast was supported by an educational grant from Mölnlycke Health Care. Several brand-named products are mentioned throughout this episode. Please note the WOCN Society does not endorse or support specific products or services.

WOCNext 2023 will take place from June 4-7, 2023, both in Las Vegas and virtually. WOCNext is the ONLY educational event of the year hosted by healthcare professionals for healthcare professionals that delivers what’s new, what’s needed, and what’s next in wound, ostomy, continence, and foot and nail care. Whether you plan to attend in-person or virtually, if you are a first-time attendee or a conference veteran, there is something for everyone.

Both in-person and virtual attendees will have access to the event’s on-demand recordings for most of the content, including the including the ability to evaluate sessions and receive credits, through December 31, 2023.

Episode Resources:

Visit wocnext.org to check out all of the event information

Click here to register online

Click here to reserve a hotel room in the WOCNext block

Check out the Linq Promenade—a section of shops, restaurants, and entertainment near the WOCNext event space and hotel block

Click here for information on the First-Time Attendee Meet & Greet

Click here for information on the Welcome Networking Reception

Click here to view the Symposia sessions

Click here to view the Hands-on Workshops

Log in to the WOCNext MyConnect platform to make appointments with exhibitors and message with exhibitors

Click here to view the Exhibit Hall Floorplan

About the Speaker:

Brooke Passy is a Certified Meeting Planner (CMP), Digital Event Strategist (DES), and the Director of Meetings for the WOCN® Society.

During this special bonus WOCTalk episode, I sit down with Jan Colwell to speak about the popular topic of convexity. Jan has practiced as a WOC nurse for 40 years at the University of Chicago Medicine and is currently the advanced practice nurse in the outpatient ostomy clinic. She is a Past President of the WOCN Society and Friends of Ostomates Worldwide USA, is the co-section editor of the ostomy section of the Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing and has edited several text books on ostomy care.

In this episode, Jan speaks to us about the content from a recent WOCN Society webinar, Convexity: Where Did it Come From and Where Are We Now?, which provided a historical perspective on the use of convexity in the management of a patient with a stoma and examined different types of convexities. Listen in to learn about the past, present and future of convexity.

This podcast and the webinar were supported by an educational grant from ConvaTec. The WOCN Society does not endorse specific products or services. For a list of WOC patient products and services, please click here.

To view a free recording of the webinar Convexity: Where Did it Come From and Where Are We Now?, visit the webcasts section of the WOCN Society’s Continuing Education Center at wocn.org/cec.

Click here

 to view the JWOCN article mentioned in this episode: Use of Convexity in Ostomy Care: Results of an International Consensus Meeting.

Episode Resources:

Click here for information on the WOCN-accredited nursing education programs.

Click here to view Preceptor FAQs about becoming a WOC nurse preceptor, how to get started with new students, information about roles and responsibilities, and more.

Click here to search the Preceptor Directory to find a WOC preceptor in your area.

Click here to view information on WOCN Society membership options.

Click here to view the WOCN Society annual scholarship information.

About the Speakers:

Lori Borja, MSN, RN, CWOCN, CFCN, has been a certified WOC nurse for over 24 years, with experience in all care settings. She ran a nurse-led outpatient ostomy clinic where she conducted pre-op teaching, stoma-site marking, post-op care, and managed stomal and peristomal complications.  Lori has extensive experience in program development and nursing education in the clinical setting.  She has been a Clinical Instructor at the Emory University WOC Nursing Education Program since 2014 and the Program Director since 2019.

Kelly Jaszarowski, MSN, RN, CNS, ANP, CWOCN, WOCNF, earned her BSN degree in 1989 from Sangamon State University (now known as the University of Illinois Springfield) and her MSN in 1997 with a specialization in adult primary health care. She became a CETN (now known as a CWOCN) in 1990. With over 30 years of nursing experience and more than 30 years as a CWOCN, Kelly has precepted both nursing and WOC nursing students.

Kelly has practiced in various settings, including acute care, home healthcare, extended care, assisted living, and outpatient facilities. Currently, she is an independent WOC consultant with mid-level provider status in local facilities and serves as a legal nurse consultant. She has taught nursing and WOC nursing, lectured locally and nationally, and been published. Kelly has also been active in numerous professional organizations, serving on the Board of the WOCN and the Mideast Chapter. She is a Past President of both the Mideast Chapter and the WOCN Society. Kelly has been an educator with the Cleveland Clinic - R. B. Turnbull, Jr. MD WOC Nursing Education Program for over 10 years and is the current Program Director.

Debra Netsch, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CWOCN-AP, CFCN, has been a WOC nurse for over 38 years, with 26 of those years also as a Nurse Practitioner. She has taught with the WEB WOC® Nursing Education Program for over 23 years and is Co-Director and the ANCC Approved Provider Program Director. Debra has published numerous clinically relevant textbook chapters and articles. She has a passion for ostomy care and teaching.

In this episode of WOCTalk we sit down with Heather Hedges, BSN, RN, CWOCN, and inaugural winner of the WOCN Society’s Future is Bright Award in 2018. This WOCN award recognizes a new WOC nurse within his/hers first five (5) years of practice who is tri-specialty certified and destined to make a significant contribution to WOC care as an educator, a researcher, or in clinical practice. The Future is Bright Award is intended to recognize a new WOC nurse who exemplifies the scope of WOC nursing practice as defined in “WOC Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice”, 2nd Edition.

Interested in learning more about the Future is Bright Award? Nominations are now being accepted for 2019. Click here for more information.

To purchase the WOC Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, 2nd Edition, click here. Members save $5 off their purchase!

Interested in making a difference in the lives of nurses pursuing WOC education? Donate to Fund the Future today. Your tax-deductible gift will support educational funding for nurses who are beginning their journey into the WOC nursing specialty and is a meaningful way to show your love and appreciation for that special WOC nurse in your life. Learn more.

During this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Dr. Barbara Pieper of Wayne State University. Current Professor and Interim Associate Dean, Dr. Pieper also has a long history of providing chronic wound care to a person who injects drugs (PWID). She recently presented two sessions at the WOCN® Society’s Annual Conference, “Wounds Among Persons Who Inject Drugs” and “Opioid Crisis and the WOC Nurse Role”. Both sessions covered information related to drug-related wounds, opioid usage, and the WOC nurses’ role.

Interested in learning more about PWID or the opioid crisis and the WOC nurses’ role? View Dr. Pieper’s full conference sessions from the WOCN® Society’s 50th Annual Conference in Philadelphia:
“Wounds Among Persons Who Inject Drugs”
“Opioid Crisis and the WOC Nurse Role”

Want to review more sessions from the Society’s 50th Annual Conference? The full conference library is available for purchase. Choose from the entire package or individual sessions here.
For a list of WOCN Society recorded continuing education sessions on the topic of opioid usage, click here.

Speaker Bio
Dr. Barbara Pieper PhD, RN
Professor/Nurse Practitioner, Wayne State University
Barbara Pieper has provided chronic wound care, primarily to persons who inject drugs, since 1991. During this time, she has had to deal with pain and its management. She has included pain assessment on several of her studies and included pain assessment in her publications.

During this special bonus WOCTalk episode, we sit down with Janice M. Beitz, PhD, RN, CS, CNOR, CWOCN, CRNP, MAPWCA, ANEF, FNAP, FAAN as she discusses the content from her recent WOCN Society emPOWERed Series webinar “Empowered: Packing Your Professional Development Suitcase (Your Career Begins at the End of Your Comfort Zone).” During the episode, Dr. Beitz further explains the importance of continued professional development in the context of the business of healthcare. 

The WOCN emPOWERment Webinar Series includes six online webinars focusing on professional development and health and wellness topics lead by the following subject matter experts.

The WOCN® emPOWERed Webinar Series and the WOCN emPOWERment Center are supported by an educational grant from Medela. The WOCN® Society does not endorse specific products and services.

Episode Resources

Click here to view on-demand content and sign up for upcoming educational opportunities through the WOCN emPOWERed Webinar Series. Want to win prizes? Simply watch our emPOWERment webinars live or watch the on-demand sessions through December 31 and you'll be entered to win. It's that easy!

Click here to view the WOCN emPOWERment Center.

This special podcast is part of the Ostomy Observations Series, a 6-part series included in the "Educating Today for Exceptional Outcomes Tomorrow" Program. During this episode, we sit down with Dorothy Doughty, MN, RN, CWOCN, CFCN, FAAN, to discuss the ostomy nurse’s role in offering patients counseling for sexual function after ostomy surgery, helping patients maintain intimacy, and addressing common sex and intimacy concerns for heterosexual and LGBTQ+ patients.

Both the Ostomy Observations podcast series and the Educating Today for Exceptional Outcomes Tomorrow Program are commercially supported through an educational grant from Hollister Incorporated. For additional information, please visit: wocn.org/exceptionaloutcomes. The WOCN® Society does not endorse or support products or services.

Episode Resources:

Click here to visit the United Ostomy Associations of America (UOAA) website.

About the Speaker:

Dorothy Doughty has been a wound, ostomy, and continence (WOC) nurse since 1980 and has worked primarily in the acute care setting. She was Director of the Emory University WOC Nursing Education Program for 30 years and is currently working as a WOC nursing instructor. She is past President of the WOCN® Society and has multiple presentations and publications in the field of WOC nursing.

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Janet Cuddigan, RN, PhD, CWCN, FAAN, a Professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) with over 40 years of experience in wound care and critical care nursing. Janet is also the current President of the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel (NPIAP). Janet provides an in-depth overview of the third edition of the NPIAP 2019 Clinical Practice Guideline, which was developed between 15 international organizations to update evidence-based prevention and treatment for pressure injuries.

For more information on the NPIAP 2019 Clinical Practice Guideline, please visit npiap.com/2019Guideline.

During this special bonus WOCTalk episode, we sit down with Kelly Jaszarowski, MSN, RN, CNS, CWOCN, WOCN Past President, and Rose Murphree, DNP, RN, CWOCN, CFCN, Assistant Clinical Professor, to discuss the content of the recent webinar titled, “Slow Down: Management of the High Output Ileostomy.” Kelly and Rose explain complications associated with high output ileostomies, preventative and management strategies, and complimentary therapies.

This podcast and the webinar were supported by Hollister, Incorporated. The WOCN Society does not endorse specific products or services.

Episode Resources

To view a recording of the webinar, “Slow Down: Management of the High Output Ileostomy” click here.

To view the University of Washington’s high output ostomy tip page, click here.

To receive complimentary guides on short bowel syndrome, click here.

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Emilie Schlitt, BSN, RN, CWOCN, and Diane Bryant, RN, MS, CNS CWOCN, who work together at Brigham And Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. Emilie and Diane share their experiences as a new WOC nurse and a preceptor and how they are working together during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Through this time of uncertainty, WOCN is dedicated to providing our members and the greater healthcare community with the resources and education needed to practice with all the necessary precautions to keep yourselves and your patients safe. We are so grateful for all of our nurses on the front lines during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Many of you are finding yourselves practicing on the front lines, in your usual role of being called to work in another staff position. Thank you for unselfishly carrying out the duties required in this pandemic. For a list of COVID-19 related resources, visit wocn.org/covid-19/.

Have questions about precepting? Visit wocn.org/become-a-woc-nurse/preceptor-faqs/ for our frequently asked questions.

On this special bonus episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Janice Beitz, PhD, RN, CS, CNOR, CWOCN-AP, CRNP, ANEF, FNAP, FAAN, to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the wound, ostomy, and continence (WOC) nursing practice in conjunction with the recent webinar titled “My Favorite Perfume Scent is Hand Sanitizer: Covid-19 - Impact on Contemporary Ostomy Practice”. This webinar is available to view on-demand through the WOCN Continuing Education Center (CEC) and awards 1.0 Contact Hours. This webinar discussed the impact of Covid-19 on the American population, innovations growing out of the pandemic, and clinical implications for future ostomy care delivery and clinician self-care needs.

This podcast and the webinar are supported by an educational grant from ConvaTec. The WOCN® Society does not endorse specific products and services.

Episode Resources
To view the on-demand webinar “My Favorite Perfume Scent is Hand Sanitizer: Covid-19 - Impact on Contemporary Ostomy Practice”, click here.

To learn more about WOCNext® 2022: A Global Education Event from WOCN® and WCET®, click here.

To view the online Journal of Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing (JWOCN), click here.

It is no secret that we live in a global society. Wound, ostomy and continence nurses work in myriad of settings with client populations that reflect global diversity. Healthcare providers and clients alike benefit from care informed by global engagement. During this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Kevin Emmons DrNP, APN, AGPCNP-BC, CWCN, CFCN and Lynette Franklin APRN, MSN, ACNS-BC, CWOCN-AP, CFCN, to discuss their session at WOCNext 2019 titled, “Glocal Perspectives on Healthcare: WOC Practice with Diverse Populations”. Listen in to review several definitions of global health, learn about Kevin and Lynette’s service learning experiences from different parts of the world, and to receive an introduction to the concept of “glocal” care--translating global knowledge to care at a local level.

To view a recorded version of Lynette and Kevin’s session from WOCNext 2019, click here.

For additional information on the Worldwide Fistula Fund or to make a donation, visit: worldwidefistulafund.org.

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Jerri Drain, BSN, RN, CWON and Monica Timko-Progar, BSN, RN, ET, CWS®, FACCWS, two of the authors of the WOCNext® 2022 ePoster, “Implementation of an Evidence-based, Content Validated, Standardized Support Surface Algorithm Tool in Home Health Care: A Quality Improvement Project.” Jerri and Monica share with us the initiatives that caused them to develop the quality improvement project, the process of implementing and managing the use of the algorithm, and the overall success of the project. 

Episode Resources:

Click here to view the abstract “Implementation of an Evidence-based, Content Validated, Standardized Support Surface Algorithm Tool in Home Health Care: A Quality Improvement Project”

Click here to view the interactive ePoster from WOCNext 2022.

Click here to view the WOCN Support Surface Algorithm 

Click here to view all WOCNext 2022 accepted abstracts and ePosters.

About the Speakers:

Jerri Drain, MBA, BSN, RN, has been a registered nurse for 25 years and a CWON for almost 20 years. She has 25 years of experience in home care. She has an MBA in Health Care Administration. She has worked in her role as Wound Care Director at Amedisys Home Health care for 17+ years, focusing on numerous Quality Improvement Initiations in the areas of wound and ostomy care.

Monica Timko-Progar, BSN, RN, ET, CWS, FACCWS, has been in the Home Health Care industry since 1985. A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, she has served in a variety of roles and positions in home health and hospice care starting as a field clinician. In 1993, she completed advanced training as a Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurse. Since that time, she has practiced in her area of expertise providing consultative services and education until functioning as the Corporate AVP of Wound Care Excellence at Amedisys Home Health and Hospice Care. She received her Certified Wound Specialist credentials in 2008 and is a Fellow of the American College of Certified Wound Specialists. She is a member of the Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurses Society™ (WOCN®), the American Board of Wound Management, and the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care. She has served as a board member for the American College of Clinical Wound Specialists serving in the role of treasurer and also Chairperson of the vendor committee. She has also participated as a Key Opinion Leader for ConvaTec ostomy division and is a charter member of the Coalition for at-risk skin (CARS) that recently constructed 21 consensus statements for at-risk skin with a subsequent article to be published. Monica is the author of several articles and has had poster presentations at both the WOCN Society and the Symposium for the Advancement of Wound Care (SAWC) conferences. She was a guest speaker at the WOCN annual conference in Nashville, TN in June 2014, and at the WOCNext® annual conference in Ft. Worth, TX in 2022. Monica and her Amedisys wound care colleagues were recently awarded the Clinical Practice Manuscript award by the Journal of Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing (JWOCN®), recognizing their contribution to clinical care, for their quality improvement project entitled; “Implementation of an Evidenced Based Content Validation Standardized Ostomy Algorithm Tool in Home Health Care”.

Interested in joining us? Click here to register for WOCNext 2021 for just $199. All participants will be required to register to attend and  gain access to event content and activities. Registration will close at 12 PM ET on Saturday, June 26. On-demand recorded content (including Nursing Contact Hours + Pharmacology Credits) will be available post-event to pre-registered attendees through December 31, 2021. 

Already Registered for WOCNext 2021? 
Enhance your event experience by learning more about ePosters, Live Chat & Networking, Match Madness Days, the MyConnect App, Handouts, and Evaluations below!

ePosters
All accepted abstracts are being presented as ePosters. You can view all ePosters online June 11 through December 31. Click here to view the ePosters. 

Although there is no "Meet the Poster Authors" session this year, you can ask the poster authors questions and send them feedback by clicking on the “Connect” button under the presenting author’s name / info. Your message will be sent directly to the presenting author of that ePoster.

Merit Awards will be announced during the Abstracts General Session on Friday, June 25.

Event Live Chat & Networking
In the WOCNext online event platform, you canchat with your fellow attendees byclicking the green “Join the Conversation” button on the right hand side of the event platform to join the global event chat. You can use this chat feature to talk to your fellow attendees and exhibitors one-on-one or in the global chat rooms. In addition, attendees can also take advantage of the live chats during sessions. Use this space to ask your colleagues  questions and exchange information about how the content will affect your practice in your facility or practice setting. 

 

Match Madness Days
Join us on June 16 and 17 for Match Madness--a two-day online networking event for attendees and exhibitors. Meet face-to-face via video chat with exhibitors that match your product interest before WOCNext 2021 begins! Plus, the attendee who creates the most appointments will be awarded a $100 gift card! Click here to learn more about the Match Madness Days.

MyConnect App
Attendees will have the ability to network with other attendees and exhibitors prior to, during and following the event through the MyConnect app. We encourage attendees to download the MyConnect app, available through the Apple iTunes Store and Google Play Store by searching for “wocn”. Through the app you will be able to create a personalized planner, search for and message exhibitors, create one-on-one online appointments with exhibitors, message attendees and post directly to social media all at your fingertips. To log in to MyConnect through the app, you need to use the email address that you provided during registration. 

Remember to allow notifications from the app so that you can see our Buzz Notifications.

Handouts
Handouts will be available in the online event platform the week leading up to the event. Attendees can access handouts through the sessions tab in the event platform. You can download the handouts and take notes right in the event platform.

Evaluations
Evaluations to earn Nursing Contact Hours and Pharmacology Credits will take place on the same site as in past years. The log in information is your Unique ID as the username and the password for everyone is “wocn”. The evaluation site for Nursing Contact Hours and Pharmacology credits will close on December 31st. 

If you are interested in the additional credit types, Physicians can earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credits and Physical Therapists can earn Contact Hours, there will be a different evaluation to complete through the Relias platform. More information will be provided in the WOCNext event platform. These additional credits can only be earned during the live event.

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Kate Lawrence, MSN, RN, CWOCN, the WOCN Public Policy and Advocacy Coordinator, and Chris Rorick, MPH, the WOCN  Director of Government Relations, who serve on the WOCN National Public Policy and Advocacy Committee. Kate and Chris discuss updates on current legislative actions, as well as documents and toolkits for members to utilize, and overall legislative news related to the wound, ostomy, and continence (WOC) practice.

For more information on WOCN public policy and advocacy efforts, to access documents, and to contact your legislator regarding current policy issues, visit our Public Policy and Advocacy page.

Episode Resources

Click hereto view the WOCN Public Policy & Advocacy page.

Click hereto view the Regional & Affiliate Public Policy Toolkit. (members-only)

Click hereto view the WOCN Advocacy and Grassroots Toolkit.

Click hereto send a message to your legislators through the VoterVoice platform.

Click hereto view the WOCN Public Policy & Advocacy Health Care Agenda.

Click hereto view the Guidance on Use of Ostomy DME Checklist

Click here to view the Sample of Medical Necessity Template

Click here to view the Competitive Bidding and Ostomy Supplies position statement

Click here to view the fact sheet on Reimbursement Opportunities for WOC Nursing Services: Medicare Payment for Advanced Practice Nurse Services: A Fact Sheet

Click here to view the fact sheet on Reimbursement Opportunities for WOC Nursing Services: Medicare Part B “Incident To” Services Policy: A Fact Sheet

Click hereto view the Public Policy & Advocacy Forum. (members-only)

On this bonus episode of WOCTalk we sit down with Virginia Hanchett, FNP, APRN-BC, DCNP, COCN, CWCN, a Program Director and Senior Nurse Practitioner at “UR Medicine Ostomy Services” at the University Of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, New York. She has 20 years of experience in the field of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing and 15 years experience in medical dermatology. She has been proudly employed at the University of Rochester Medical Center for over 30 years and for the past 5 years she has focused on the well being of ostomy patients throughout the continuum of care, with long-term management being her love. Her true specialty is the interdisciplinary co-management of ostomy patients with complex medical and dermatological diseases such as psoriasis, eczema, IBD, cancer and wound management in the parastomal region.

During this episode, Ginny she speaks to us about the content from a recent WOCN Society webinar, Dermostomy: Advanced Dermatological Conditions of the Parastomal Region, which included a review of chronic and complex dermatological and medical disease states.

This content, while presented onsite at WOCNext 2019, was also presented as an official WOCNext 2019 education rebroadcast. The rebroadcasted webinar and this podcast were both supported by an educational grant from Hollister, Incorporated.

The WOCN Society does not endorse specific products or services. For a list of WOC patient products and services, please click here.

To view a free recording of the webinar Dermostomy: Advanced Dermatological Conditions of the Parastomal Region visit the webcasts section of the WOCN Society’s Continuing Education Center at wocn.org/cec.

On this episode of WOCTalk we sit down with Catherine Ratcliff, PhD, GNP-BC,CWOCN, CFCN, FAAN, and Laurie McNichol, MSN, RN, CNS, GNP, CWOCN, CWON-AP, FAAN, to discuss the results of the Peristomal Skin Health: A WOCN Society Society Consensus Conference, including the characteristics of healthy peristomal skin, intrinsic and extrinsic factors affecting peristomal skin health, gaps in evidence, and best practices for maintaining healthy peristomal skin.

In addition to this episode, this important topic was presented as an educational session during WOCNext® 2021.

WOCNext 2021 attendees can view this session on-demand for free by logging into the event site and clicking the On-Demand Content tab.

Episode Resources:

Click here to read the article that was published in the Journal of Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing (JWOCN).

Click here to view the WOCNext 2021 General Session on-demand. You must be logged in with your WOCNext 2021 registration information to access the on-demand content. Once logged in you can access the handouts, resources, and chat log from this session by selecting the handouts tab on the event site.

To view additional information about sessions from WOCNext 2021, please click here to view the Final Program.

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with MaryAnne Lewis, BSN, RN, BSN, CWOCN as she shares insights into her experience transitioning from adult to pediatric wound, ostomy, and continence (WOC) care. Mary discusses how she went from adult to pediatric care, what surprised her the most with the transition, and the biggest similarities and differences between the two patient populations. 

Episode Resources:

Click here to access the WOCN Clinical Tools. 

About the Speaker:

MaryAnne Lewis, BSN, RN, BSN, CWOCN, has been a practicing nurse for almost 40 years. Most of her career has been dedicated to wound, ostomy, and continence (WOC) nursing with a focus on the adult and pediatric patient populations.

In this episode of WOCTalk we sit down with Ann Marie Nie, RN, MSN, CNP, FNP-BC, CWOCN. Nie is a family nurse practitioner on the wound and ostomy care team at Children’s Minnesota. During the episode we discuss wound and ostomy care products and pressure injury prevention strategies for the neonatal and pediatric patient populations.

Episode Resources:

If you would like to reach out to Ann Marie Nie with questions you may have regarding pediatric care, please contact her at annmarie.nie@childrensmn.org.

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Anne Walsh, ANP-BC, ACHPN, CWOCN, author of the ePoster “Palliative Wound Care Where Aggressive Symptom Management Is the Goal” that was presented at the WOCNext® 2021 conference. We discuss the role of the WOC nurse in palliative care, the free App called “Palliative Wound Pro” that Anne developed, telehealth consultations, wound healing, and much more!

Episode Resources:

Click here to view the ePoster “Palliative Wound Care Where Aggressive Symptom Management Is the Goal”.

Click here to download the App Palliative Wound Pro for Apple devices.

Click here to download the App Palliative Wound Pro for Android devices.

If you missed WOCNext® 2021: A Virtual WOW Experience with the WOCN® Society and Relias, you could gain access to everything you missed during the live event for just $199. Click here to access the on-demand content.

On this special WOC Nurse Week edition of WOCTalk, we sit down with Dr. Carla Haack for a sneak preview of a rebroadcasted session titled “Mindfulness & the Healthcare Provider” that will take place tomorrow, Wednesday, April 14, 2021. The rebroadcasted webinar will offer 1 contact hour and is available for free to members and non-members of WOCN. This session will look at the neuroscience behind mindfulness exercises and how the practice can serve as a useful tool for preventing burnout and compassion fatigue in providers. There will also be some discussion regarding the prescription of these techniques for patients and their family members. Please visit wocn.org/wocnurseweek2021 for additional information about this topic and WOC Nurse Week 2021 resources and items to help you celebrate!

This podcast, the rebroadcasted webinar, and WOC Nurse Week 2021 are supported by an educational grant from Medela. The WOCN® Society does not endorse specific products and services.

Episode Resources
To view special WOC Nurse Week 2021 resources to help you make the most out of your celebrations this year, click here.

To register for the webinar “Mindfulness & the Health Care Provider”, click here.

Episode Resources:

Click here to learn more about the WOCN Fellow Program

Click here to apply for the 2024 WOCN Fellow Class until March 4, 2024, at 11:59 PM ET

Click here to access the WOCN members-only online Communities

Click here to read Dr. Buscemi’s WOCN member spotlight blog

Click here to read Dr. Pieper’s WOCN member spotlight blog

About the Speaker:

Dr. Pieper, PhD, RN, CWOCN, ACNS-BC, FAAN, WOCNF, completed her WOC education at Abbott-Northwestern Hospital in 1989. She held a joint academic-clinical position, Wayne State University, College of Nursing, Detroit, MI, and the Detroit Medical Center. In 1991, her clinical career and her research became focused on wound care especially in persons who injected street drugs. She received NIH funding, gave many presentations, and published many papers in refereed journals. She was a Fulbright Scholar in Trinidad and Tobago, 2020. She is a Professor Emerita.

Dr. Buscemi, PhD, APRN, CWCN, WOCNF, is board certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner by the ANCC and board certified as a Wound Care Nurse with the WOCNCB. He has over 34 years of experience as a Nurse and more than 20 years as an APRN. He is a current member of the WOCN and has published in their journal. He is also an editorial reviewer for the JWOCN. He is a member of the AANP and sits on the editorial board for the JAANP. He also in on the editorial board for Wound Management. He has presented at regional, national, and international wound care conferences. He participates in interdisciplinary research with the Biomedical Engineering Dept. at FIU. He is a Fellow of the WOCN where he was inducted into their inaugural class.

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Ekta Vohra, BSN, RN, CWON, and Philip Chang, MD, FACS, of the William Randolph Hearst Burn Center at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center--the only verified burn center in New York City. Their multidisciplinary team of burn care specialists includes doctors, plastic and reconstructive surgeons, nurses, critical care medicine specialists, physical and occupational therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, pharmacists, social workers, outreach coordinators, and disaster planners. Listen to learn more about their program, degrees of burns, burn prevention, identification, management, treatment, and healing, and how experience in wound, ostomy, and continence (WOC) care provides a better understanding for the burn world and skin etiology.

Several brand-named products are mentioned throughout this episode. Please note: the WOCN® Society does not endorse or support products or services.

Episode Resources

To learn more about the William Randolph Hearst Burn Center at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, click here.

To learn more about the American Burn Association, click here.

During this special bonus WOCTalk episode, we sit down with Joyce M. Black, PhD, RN, CWCN, FAAN, Professor, College of Nursing, University of Nebraska Medical Center. During this episode, Dr. Black speaks about the content from her webinar presentation, Progressive Mobility and Pressure Injury: What’s The Link?

Progressive mobility is the graded application of positioning and mobility techniques to return patients to prior levels of function. With critical or prolonged illness, recovery of function is slow and increases the duration of risk for pressure injury. This webinar addressed pressure injury prevention, at all levels of progressive mobility, and the ergonomic issues for nurses with these patients.

This podcast episode and the webinar were supported by an educational grant from Stryker.

To view a free recording of the webinar Progressive Mobility and Pressure Injury: What’s The Link? visit the webcasts section of the WOCN Society’s Continuing Education Center at wocn.org/cec

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with two wound, ostomy and continence (WOC) nurses, Christina Palau Vaccari, MS, BSN, CWOCN, and Lynette Franklin, MSN, APRN, ACNS-BC, CWOCN-AP, CFCN, to talk about how they effectively use emerging technology within their practices. Christina is an inpatient WOC nurse at Emory University Hospital Midtown. Lynette is a WOC nurse with more than 20 years of experience as an instructor and clinician, and she has practiced nursing in four countries. Christina and Lynette previously worked together in Emory’s outpatient clinic, and they presented a session on technology in nursing at a WOCN Society Southeast Region conference. Listen to learn more about different evidence-based digital tools, such as apps, videos, podcasts and websites that nurses can access at their fingertips to support their patient care.

Resources from this Episode:

Click here to view the WOCN Society’s free, online clinical tools for clinicians and consumers.

Click here to view the Society’s Document Library, which houses best practice documents, case studies, white papers and more.

Click here to access the Society’s Forums, a message board platform where WOCN members can ask clinical questions to nurses in all care settings.

Click here to access the Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing (JWOCN), the official publication of the Society. The journal is available as a free benefit for WOCN members.

Click here to view the JWOCN article on the evaluation of web-based ostomy patient support resources.

During this special bonus WOCTalk episode, we sit down with Virginia (Ginny) Hanchett, FNP, APRN-BC, DCNP, COCN, CWCN, to discuss content related to a recent webinar, “Parastomal Abscesses: Exploring the Differential Diagnoses and Treatment Options”. Ginny elaborates on the different pathologies and diagnoses of parastomal abscesses, underlying causes, and prevention and treatment options.

This podcast and the original webinar were supported by Hollister Incorporated. The WOCN Society does not endorse specific products or services.

Episode Resources

Click here to view the recording of the webinar, “Parastomal Abscesses: Exploring the Differential Diagnoses and Treatment Options”.

Click here to learn more about the Visual DX diagnostic clinical decision support system.

Click here to visit the National Institutes of Health (NIH) website.

Click here to view Vickee’s WOCN® Member Spotlight blog.

About the Speaker:

Victoria (Vickee) Ramik, MS, APRN, ACNS-BC, CCRN, CWOCN, has been a nurse for four decades, predominately as a bedside nurse and clinical nurse specialist in critical care. In 2010, she became tri-specialty certified in wound, ostomy, and continence care. Vickee retired from nursing in 2023 and does not have formal plan yet, but she will miss taking care of her patients.

Sign up to get notified when the NEW certification review courses launch!

Browse 70+ CE courses on the WOCN Society’s Continuing Education Center (CEC).

Click here to visit the Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Certification Board (WOCNCB®) website for the certification exam information and resources

Subscribe to the weekly WOCNow weekly e-newsletter updates for information on additional education opportunities.

About the Speaker:

Meghan C. Smith has been a member of the WOCN Society for 13 years. She is a nurse practitioner for the Department of Surgery at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, MI. Her educational background includes BSN from Madonna University; WOC Certification from Emory University; MSN, Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Madonna University.

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Eileen Blodgett, BSN, RN, CWON, presenting author of the WOCNextⓇ 2022 ePoster, “Making Our Bed: WOC Nurse-led Initiative to Replace Aging Hospital Beds to Decrease Pressure Injuries”. Eileen shares with us a look into what led to Beaumont Health System’s nurse-led initiative, the process of implementing the initiative, and the overall success of the project.

Episode Resources

Click here to view the abstract “Making Our Bed: WOC Nurse-led Initiative to Replace Aging Hospital Beds to Decrease Pressure Injuries.”

Click here to view the interactive ePoster from WOCNext 2022.

Click here to view all WOCNext 2022 accepted abstracts and ePosters. 

 

On this special bonus episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Carmen Davis and Terrie Beeson to speak about the content from a recent WOCN Society webinar, “Creative Strategies to Manage Female Urinary Incontinence and Reduce Urinary Catheter Utilization”, which focused on alternatives used to disrupt the lifecycle of the indwelling urinary catheter.

The webinar and this podcast were both supported by an educational grant from Stryker. The WOCN® Society does not endorse specific products and services. To view a free recording of the webinar “Creative Strategies to Manage Female Urinary Incontinence and Reduce Urinary Catheter Utilization”, visit the webcasts section of the WOCN Society’s Continuing Education Center at wocn.org/cec.

Carmen Davis, MSN, RN, CCRN, CNS-BC, is a certified clinical nurse specialist with 20 years’ experience in critical and progressive care areas with the Indiana University Health University Hospital.

Terrie Beeson, MSN, RN, CCRN, ACNS-BC, is certified critical care clinical nurse specialist with 40 years experience in critical and progressive care areas with the Indiana University Health University Hospital.

Click here to view the JWOCN article mentioned in this episode: Urinary Management With an External Female Collection Device.

During this special bonus WOCTalk episode, we sit down with Kim Fields, BSN, CPN, CWOCN, a certified wound, ostomy and continence (WOC) pediatric nurse at Hershey Medical Center, to discuss her international medical and mission work. Kim has provided WOC health care for underserved populations in places like Africa, the Amazon Jungle, Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and she has volunteered with The Youth Rally.

Kim discusses how learning about different cultures has improved her health care and has helped her grow as an individual and a nurse. Kim discusses ways to get involved in international service-learning trips and ways to help in your local community. Kim provides tips for anyone who is interested in participating in international service trips.

This podcast and WOC Nurse Week 2020 were commercially supported by a restricted educational grant from Smith & Nephew.

Resources from this episode:

2020 Global Missions Health Conference

MedicalMissions.com

MedicalMissions.org

The Youth Rally

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Laura Monahan, OFS, DNP, MBA, RN, and Mary Sandrik, MSN, RN, CWOCN, two authors of the article “Physician Residents Shadowing a Certified WOC Nurse to Develop Interprofessional Competencies: A Quality Improvement Project” published in the Journal of Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing (JWOCN), the official journal of the WOCN® Society. 

The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project was to assess a shadowing experience with a certified WOC nurse (CWOCN) on 4 interprofessional collaborative practice domains: interprofessional communication, role awareness, and responsibilities, teams and teamwork, and values and ethics for interprofessional practice.

To learn more about the Journal of Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing (JWOCN), the official journal of the WOCN Society, click here.

Episode Resources:

Click here to read the article “Physician Residents Shadowing a Certified WOC Nurse to Develop Interprofessional Competencies: A Quality Improvement Project”.

Click here to review a case study “Intraoperative Use of Soft Convexity”

Click here to see the Hollister CeraPlusTM Product Portfolio

If you have convexity-related questions for Rosemary, feel free to send an email to rosemary.Hill@vch.ca

About the Speaker:

Rosemary Hill, BSN, CWOCN, WOCC(C), has been a nurse for over 35 years and is the recipient of the Award of Excellence in Practice from the Association of Registered Nurses of British Columbia. She works at Lions Gate Hospital as a Nurse Specialized in Wound Ostomy and Continence (NSWOC). Her past volunteer activities include President of NSWOC from 2016-2018. Rosemary participates as a member on the British Columbia provincial Skin and Wound committee, continues to chair the Provincial Ostomy committee, and is an expert speaker at national and international events. Most recently volunteer activities have taken her to Argentina where she worked to provide wound education.

During this special bonus WOCTalk episode, we sit down with Donna Sellers, BSN, RN, CWON and Jill Hammond, BSN, RN, CWOCN of Convatec to speak about the content from the recent supported webinar, Convex Product Choices to Improve Patient Care. This session discussed the what and when of choosing convex product choices to improve patient care along with the potential risks and contraindications for using convexity. Listen in to learn more and on this topic and additional knowledge not covered during the original webinar recording.

This podcast and the webinar were supported by Convatec. The WOCN Society does not endorse specific products or services. For a list of WOC patient products and services, please click here.

To view a free recording of the webinar Convex Product Choices to Improve Patient Care, visit the webcasts section of the WOCN Society’s Continuing Education Center at wocn.org/cec.

Additional Resources From this Episode:

Use of Convexity in Pouching: A Comprehensive Review
Hoeflok, Jo; Kittscha, Julia; Purnell, Paris
Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing: September/October 2013 - Volume 40 - Issue 5 - p 506–512

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Joyce M. Black, PhD, RN, as she discusses WOCN’s webinar series Skin Assessment Conundrums: Pigment, Technology, and Moisture. On this episode Joyce addresses unanswered questions from the series and shares with listeners her insight into the latest evidence and adds her expertise to common skin assessment conundrums related to pigment, technology, and moisture. 

The Skin Assessment Conundrums Series and this podcast are supported by an  educational grant from Hillrom. The WOCN® Society does not endorse specific products and services.

Episode Resources:

If you registered for the Skin Assessment Webinar series, click here to view the event page and access the webinars on demand. 

Click here to access Skin Assessment: What's Pigment Got to Do With It? on the WOCN Society Continuing Education Center (CEC).

Click here to access Skin Assessment: What's Moisture Got to Do With It? on the WOCN Society Continuing Education Center (CEC).

Click here to access Skin Assessment: What's Technology Got To Do With It? the additional symposia session from WOCNext® 2021: A Virtual WOW Experience with the WOCN® Society and Relias.

Episode Summary

In this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Brandon P. Gates, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, RN-BC to discuss his award-winning quality improvement project Decreasing Incontinence-Associated Dermatitis in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit: A Quality Improvement Project. This project won the 2019 Outstanding Clinical Manuscript Award for the Journal of Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing (JWOCN).

The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project was to determine if the use of an algorithm focusing on skincare in patients with fecal and urinary incontinence reduces the rate of hospital-acquired incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD) over a period of 4 months. 

To learn more about the Journal of Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing (JWOCN), the official journal of the WOCN Society, click here.

Episode Resources:

Click here to read the article Decreasing Incontinence-Associated Dermatitis in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit: A Quality Improvement Project.

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Laurie McNichol, MSN, RN, CNS, GNP, CWOCN, CWON-AP, FAAN and Mikel Gray, PhD, FNP, PNP, CUNP, CCCN, FAANP, FAAN. Laurie and Mikel share their ongoing work with the ICD-10-CM Codes and what to know about the new ICD-10 CM Codes for Irritant Contact Dermatitis Resource Center. 

This podcast episode and the ICD-10 CM Codes for Irritant Contact Dermatitis Resource Center are supported by an educational grant from 3M. The WOCN® Society does not endorse specific products and services. 

Episode Resources:

Click here to view the ICD-10 CM Codes for Irritant Contact Dermatitis Resource Center

About the Speakers:

Laurie McNichol works full time as a Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Advanced Practice Nurse in Greensboro, NC. Her career as a WOC Nurse has focused on the prevention and treatment of pressure injuries, the care of the ostomy patient with a focus on the prevention of peristomal skin complications, incontinence-associated dermatitis and medical adhesive related skin injuries. She co-edited the first and second editions of the core curriculum textbook on wound care. Ms. McNichol has published and lectured widely and was a primary contributor to each of the WOCN Society’s six electronic decision support tools.

Dr. Gray is a Nurse Practitioner and Professor in the Department of Urology and School of Nursing at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Dr. Gray earned his Master’s degree as a pediatric nurse practitioner from the University of Virginia in 1981, and certificate as a family nurse practitioner in 2000. He earned a PhD in lower urinary tract physiology from the University of Florida, in 1990. Dr. Gray is licensed as a family and pediatric nurse practitioner and holds additional certification as a urologic nurse practitioner. He is Editor-in Chief of the Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing and a Board Member of the Society's Center for Clinical Investigation. He has lectured both nationally and internationally on topics related to urologic nursing, wound, ostomy and continence nursing and evidence-based practice. A fellow in the American Academy of Nursing, Dr. Gray is past president of both the Society of Urologic Nurses and Associates and Certification board for Urologic Nurses and Associates.

On this special 100th episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with WOCN® President, Dea Kent, DNP, RN, NP-C, CWOCN, to discuss the topic of leadership as reviewed during a previous WOCN webinar titled, “The WOC Nurse: emPOWERing the Leader Within”. 

How many times have you thought, “I am a nurse, not a leader!” Truth is, WOC nurses are indeed leaders just by virtue of our specialty practice. Leading people can be daunting, and so can finding your inner leader. Leadership is just another piece of the important role we have in facilitating care to our patients, and in the practical work of our workplaces. Listen in to become more emPOWERed in leadership, hear some unanswered questions from the previous live webinar on the same topic, and learn about additional topics relevant to leadership in the WOC nursing role. 

This podcast, the webinar, and WOC Nurse Week 2022 are supported by an educational grant from Medela. The WOCN® Society does not endorse specific products and services.

 

Resources:
To view the free, on-demand recording of the webinar, “The WOC Nurse: emPOWERing the Leader Within”, click here. 1.00 Contact Hours are being offered for this activity.

The Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurses Society is an accredited provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
The Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurses Society is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP 15115.

To view the WOC Nurse Week 2022 resources, click here. 

Visit wocn.org/empowered to find helpful resources designed to strengthen your personal and professional development and keep you shining bright for yourself and others.

Episode Resources:

If you are interested in becoming a Mentor for WOCNext Abstract assistance and have had abstracts accepted in the past, email abstracts@wocn.org.

If you are interested in becoming an abstract reviewer, keep an eye out for Volunteer opportunities with the WOCN Society.

Watch a short Bite Size Learning CE course on the step-by-step process for submitting an abstract.

View a PowerPoint presentation that details new elements and everything you need to know about the submission process.

If you are interested in the WOCNext Abstract Mentorship assistance, please send an email to abstacts@wocn.org and indicate what area in which you are seeking assistance: 1) development of content, 2) turning content into a poster, 3) distilling the story, or 4) something else.

About the Speakers:

Carole Bauer, MSN, RN, ANP-BC, OCN, CWOCN, employed by the Beaumont Health System, is a Wound and Ostomy Nurse Practitioner where she opened the first outpatient ostomy clinic in the health system. Carole has a passion for WOC nursing and in particular ostomy patients. She has worked to successfully lobby Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan for changes in their allowed supplies for the ostomy patient when the supply limits did not meet the needs of the subscribers. As a champion for WOC nursing, she is an active member of the WOCN Society. She most recently served as a co-author of the Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing: Scope and Standards of WOC Practice, 2nd Edition, for which she was awarded the WOCN Society President’s Award. She is the immediate-past Chair of the WOCNext® Abstract Review Committee.

Donna Bliss, PhD, RN, FGSA, FAAN, WOCNF, is a Professor, Chair of the Adult and Gerontological Health Cooperative, and School of Nursing Foundation Professor of Nursing Research at the University of Minnesota School of Nursing, Minneapolis, MN. She has 25 years of funded research and >120 publications and presentations about assessing, preventing, and managing fecal incontinence and incontinence associated skin damage. She is a forerunner in investigating disparities in skin damage and assessing dark skin. Donna is an active member of the WOCN Society and is currently the incoming Abstract Chair for the WOCNext conference. During WOCNext 2023, Donna was awarded the Barbara Braden Future is Bright Award and was also inducted into the inaugural class of the WOCN Fellow Program. She is the current Chair of the WOCNext® Abstract Review Committee.

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Emilie Schlitt, BSN, RN, PCCN, CWOCN, Matthew Mossansen, MD-MPH, and Mary Willis, MS, RN, CWOCN, co-authors of a Merit Award winning poster in the Practice Innovation category at the WOCNext 2020 Reimagined event titled, “Empowering the Patient: Education and Preparation Prior to Cystectomy Surgery”. The co-authors discuss a preoperative prehabilitation educational class that was developed by urologic nurses and had input from a multidisciplinary team consisting of physicians, ostomy nurses, physical therapists, and nutritionists, and was also shaped by patient and caregiver input. During the class, patients and caregivers were prepped for cystectomy surgery with hands-on practice of stoma site marking, how to independently care for their ostomies, post-operative expectations, and more.

Other co-authors for this award-winning poster include:
Anne Fitzgerald, BSN, RN, and Juliet Starr, RN

Episode Resources
To view a description of the poster, “Empowering the Patient: Education and Preparation Prior to Cystectomy Surgery”, click here.

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Sara Coverstone, RN, MA, CHC, CWON, Chief Compliance and Privacy Officer, for an inside look into the role of healthcare compliance and privacy. Sara breaks down the difference between corporate compliance vs. risk management, common compliance misconceptions, important areas that WOC nurses and clinicians should be aware of, and she offers strategies for WOC nurses to promote positive compliance and ways to enhance knowledge of corporate compliance.

About the Speakers:

Sara Coverstone has worked in an integrated health system for more than fifteen years, serving as a Certified Wound and Ostomy Nurse (CWON) for eight of those years. She has had roles in the clinical practice department of post-acute care providing oversight to the wound care team, wound protocols and processes, wound education, and the medical supply program. She now serves as the Chief Compliance and Privacy Officer, addressing rules and regulations for the health system. Sara has facilitated wound training both to the health system and to long-term care facilities in the community with the WOCN® Society’s Wound Treatment Associate (WTA) Program. She served as a member of the national WTA Advisory Committee from 2016-2020. She currently serves as the Chair of the WOC Extender Advisory Committee, the newly combined WTA and OCA Program committee.

Resources:

Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA)

American Health Law Association (AHLA)

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Lee Rubin the opening keynote speaker at WOCNext 2022. Lee joins us for a sneak peek at his opening session, “5 Components of Extraordinary Teams”. In addition to the sneak peek into his session, Lee shares his journey as a motivational speaker, and discusses his book titled, “WIN: Simple Insights to Help You Win the Game of Life”. 

WOCNext 2022 is a hybrid, experiential event featuring both online and in-person, networking, and activities geared towards WOC nurses and other healthcare professionals dedicated to providing expert care to patients with wound, ostomy, and continence care needs around the world. The event will take place from Sunday, June 5, 2022 through Wednesday, June 8, 2022 both in-person at the Fort Worth Convention Center in Forth Worth, Texas, USA. Whether you plan to attend in-person in Fort Worth, virtually, or both—you will get the *complete* WOCNext experience! Learn more at wocnext.org.

Individuals who register for the event by Tuesday, June 7 will receive access to on-demand recordings for most event content, including the ability to evaluate sessions and receive Contact Hours, through December 31, 2022.

Episode Resources: 

Click here to learn more about the WOCNext 2022 opening session, 5 Components of Extraordinary Teams.

Click here to visit leerubinspeaks.com to learn more about Lee Rubin and view his book “WIN: Simple Insights to Help You Win the Game of Life”.

Episode Resources:

Click here to view Andrea’s poster “Decreasing Device Related Pressure Injuries from High Velocity Nasal Insufflation Device” from WOCNext 2023

Click here to view the Interventions Post Catheter Removal (iPCaRe) free algorithm

Click here to learn more about the Wound Treatment Associate (WTA®) Program

Click here to learn more about the Ostomy Care Associate (OCA®) Program

About the Speakers:

Andrea Grove, BSN, RN, CWOCN, has been a registered nurse for just shy of a decade and a has been a certified wound, ostomy, and continence nurse for three years. Andrea is the recipient of the 2023 Barbara Braden Future Is Bright Award.

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Tara Beuscher, DNP, RN-BC, GCNS-BC, ANP-BC, CWOCN, CFCN, NEA-BC. Dr. Beuscher has been providing foot and nail care for over 25 years. Beginning foot care practice in Senior Centers and Skilled Nursing Facilities, she developed the Foot and Nail Course for Nurses in 1996, which has been the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire’s highest-ranking continuing education course since its inception. Dr. Beuscher was on the initial Foot and Nail Care Nurse Exam test development committee with the Wound, Ostomy Continence Nursing Certification Board (WOCNCB®). She currently works in the podiatry department for Doctors Making House Calls, a home-based multispecialty practice providing care in homes, independent and assisted living facilities though out North Carolina. She is a very active volunteer leader of the WOCN® Society, functioning as the Lead Nurse Planner for the Society and the Foot Care section editor, a new addition to the Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing (JWOCN).

In this episode, we explore Dr. Beuscher’s career, what lead to her passion for foot care, her involvement and success with the Wound Treatment Associate (WTA®) Program and the exciting enhancement to JWOCN that she is spearheading, the Foot and Nail section, available in the May/June issue.

To view, or subscribe to JWOCN, visit jwocnonline.com.

If you are interested in submitting a manuscript for publication in JWOCN, click here.

For information regarding the Wound Treatment Associate (WTA®) Program, visit wocn.org/wtaprogram.

During this special bonus WOCTalk episode, we sit down with Janice M. Beitz, PhD, RN, CS, CNOR, CWOCN-AP, CRNP, MAPWCA, ANEF, FNAP, FAAN as she discusses the content of the recent webinar titled, “Jump Into Your Heavy Chevy For the Professional Development Road Trip: Bumps, Twists, and Fabulous Destinations.” During this discussion Janice explains target resume development, business technology including statistical analysis software, and the importance of specialty certification.  
 

This podcast and the webinar were supported by Medela LLC. The WOCN Society does not endorse specific products or services. For a list of WOC patient products and services, please click here.

To view a recording of the webinar, “Jump Into Your Heavy Chevy For the Professional Development Road Trip: Bumps, Twists, and Fabulous Destinations” visit the webcasts section of the WOCN Society’s Continuing Education Center at wocn.org/cec.

Episode Resources

Click here to view a list of Dr. Beitz’s resources and references. 

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Dea Kent, DNP, RN, NP-C, CWOCN, the 23rd President of the WOCN® Society. Dea was sworn in as the newest President at the close of the WOCNext® 2021 conference. During the episode, Dea talks about her love of WOC nursing, playing music, and being adventurous! Listen to get to know your President personally and professionally and hear what she’s looking forward to in her new leadership role with WOCN. 

Episode Resources:

If you’d like to reach out to Dea, you can do so at dkent@wocn.org.

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Renee Malandrino, MSN, RN, CWOCN, Margaret Goldberg, MSN, RN, CWOCN, and Lisa Peacey, BSN, RN, NSWOC, three of the authors of the WOCNext® 2022 ePoster, “Patient Reported Outcomes on Living with an Ostomy: Reporting on Three Years of Data.” Renee, Margaret, and Lisa discuss the Observational Study of Ostomy Consumers (OSO™) registry, the registry collection tools, and their thoughts on the current OSO registry survey results. 

The OSO registry provides an opportunity to collect prospective, observational, patient-reported outcomes data and explore the experiences of living with an ostomy over a 5-year period. This information will aid in directing future research to support or challenge current knowledge and therefore guide future clinical practice, clinical research, and new product innovations.

This podcast episode is supported by an educational grant from Hollister Incorporated. The WOCN® Society does not endorse specific products and services. 

Episode Resources:

Click here to read the Wound Management & Prevention Original Research article, “Methods and Initial Findings of the Observational Study of Ostomy Consumers Registry”

Click here to visit the online Hollister Product selector

Click here to view the WOCNext 2022 abstract, “Patient Reported Outcomes on Living with an Ostomy: Reporting on Three Years of Data.”

Click here to view the interactive ePoster and author video from WOCNext 2022

Click here to view all WOCNext 2022 accepted abstracts and ePosters

Click here to view the Peristomal Skin Assessment Guide for Clinicians

Click here to view the Peristomal Skin Assessment Guide for Consumers (English)  

Click here to view the Peristomal Skin Assessment Guide for Consumers (Spanish)  

On this episode of WOCTalk we sit down with Angela Gaffney, CHC, the keynote speaker for WOCNext 2020 in Cleveland, June 7-10. Angela is the President of Essential Health & Wellness, a firm focused on building healthy communities and organizations. As an international wellness speaker, consultant and author, she and her team have supported clients through inspiring keynotes, corporate consulting, executive retreats, and unique wellness programming.

She is the catalyst for healthy transformation and helps others ignite change through her speaking, writing and coaching. After surviving a personal health crisis that nearly took her life, Angela devoted intense time, education and energy into regaining her own health and becoming a Certified Health Coach. Calling on her personal and professional experience, Angela has shared these same proven strategies to help hundreds of others lose weight, boost energy, eliminate stress and find balance in life. Listen in to learn more about Angela and what she has planned for her keynote at WOCNext 2020 on June 7.

What is WOCNext? WOCNext is an educational event for WOC nurses and other healthcare professionals dedicated to providing expert care to patients with wound, ostomy, and incontinence needs. With more than 60 speakers and over 50 sessions to choose from, attendees will leave WOCNext with diverse knowledge and insights into how to best identify, care for, and overcome some of the most challenging issues facing their patient populations. For additional information visit wocnext.org.

Want to learn more about Angela Gaffney, including her best health related tip, tricks and recipes? Visit angelagaffney.com to view blog articles and sign up for Angela’s newsletter to receive new content weekly!

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Nicolien Wilder, BSN, RN, CWCN, CFCN, to discuss the ins and outs of starting and running a foot and nail care nursing practice to offer medical routine foot care to seniors at home.

Episode Resources:

Click here to visit the Heart and Sole Foot and Nail Care website

Click here to visit the SCORE website which offers free business advice from experienced mentors

Click here to visit the American Foot Care Nurses Association

About the Speaker:

Nicolien Wilder, BSN, RN, CWCN, CFCN, has been a nurse since 1986, mostly working in different acute rehabilitation hospitals as a Certified Rehabilitation Nurse. She has also managed a skin and wound care program as a Certified Wound Care Nurse in this setting. She experienced first-hand the rise of seniors who needed foot care services. She saw how the effects of improper foot care can lead to increased pain and discomfort with walking, lower extremity infections, and even amputations. Nicolien became certified as a Foot and Nail Care Nurse in 2014. In 2022, Nicolien started Heart and Sole Foot and Nail Care to offer medical routine foot care to seniors at home.

In this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Janice Beitz, PhD, RN, CS, CNOR, CWOCNAP, CRNP, APNC, ANEF, FAAN, and Angela Gaffney, CHC, as they discuss their involvement in the emPOWERed Program and give us their insights on strategies to empower yourself personally and professionally, tips for managing professional role responsibilities, and additional upcoming education and resources through the WOCN emPOWERment Webinar Series.

Need something to motivate your growth or practice skills? How about something that’s good for the heart and soul? Visit wocn.org/empowered today to view insightful resources for your head, heart, and hands in WOCN’s brand-new emPOWERment Center.

The WOCN® emPOWERed Webinar Series and the WOCN emPOWERment Center are supported by an educational grant from Medela. The WOCN® Society does not endorse specific products and services.

Speaker Information
Janice M. Beitz, PhD, RN, CS, CNOR, CWOCN, CRNP, MAPWCA, ANEF, FNAP, FAAN, is Professor of Nursing, School of Nursing-Camden, Rutgers University. A native of Philadelphia, Dr. Beitz has over 45 years of nursing experience in acute, sub-acute, and outpatient care settings. As the professional practice expert of the WOCN Society’s brand-new emPOWERed Program, Dr. Beitz will lend her expertise to teach us how to properly “pack our professional practice suitcase” with the necessary knowledge, skills, and business acumen needed to excel personally and professionally. View full speaker bio.

Wellness speaker and consultant Angela Gaffney, CHC, teaches people simple and effective strategies to achieve health, increase productivity and live stress-free while reaching their personal and professional goals. As the health and wellness expert of the WOCN Society’s brand-new emPOWERed Program, Angela will challenge us to think differently, take ownership of our health, and raise standards in all areas of life. She’s a best-selling author, a mom of two and her clients will tell you she’s a game-changer! Learn more and access free resources at www.AngelaGaffney.com. View full speaker bio.

Episode Resources

Click here to view the WOCN emPOWERment Center.

Click here to view upcoming educational opportunities through the WOCN emPOWERment Webinar Series.


 

Click here to visit the World Council of Enterostomal Therapists® (WCET) website

Click here to visit the International Ostomy Association (IOA) website

Click here to find a WOC nurse in your area

About the Speaker:

Mary Mahoney, MSN, RN, CWOCN, CFCN, has been a nurse for more than 35 years and certified WOC nurse for over 25 years with experience in acute, outpatient, and home care. Her current clinical practice is based at UnityPoint at Home in Iowa, where she works with a team of WOC nurses to provide consultation for patients and education to clinicians in homecare and hospice in a large healthcare system using telehealth technology. She is adjunct professor at WEB WOC Nursing Education Program. She has served on numerous WOCN Society committees in the Iowa Affiliate and at the National level. She is past board member and President of the Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Certification Board (WOCNCB®). She has authored posters for WOCNext, the WOCN Society’s national conference, and articles for the Journal of Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing (JWOCN®).

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Meghan Smith, MSN, RN, AGACNP, CWOCN, WOCN Education Committee Chair, as she shares what the Education Committee has been working on lately and all of the exciting new features and content coming to the WOCN Society Continuing Education Center (CEC). 

Interested in joining the WOCN Education Committee? 
Visit www.wocn.org/volunteer-opportunities to stay informed about upcoming volunteer opportunities in 2022. 

Episode Resources:

Click here to visit the WOCN Society Continuing Education Center (CEC).

Proper medical documentation plays a crucial role in the everyday lives of medical professionals. Errors and omissions, whether accidental or calculated, can lead to issues in care delivery and defense litigation--even when the care itself was properly rendered. In this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with two partners from the medical malpractice defense group at White and Williams LLP: Debra Weinrich and Edward Beitz, to discuss being a witness, EMR documentation, legal issues and how medical professionals can protect themselves against medical malpractice.

Interested in learning more about this topic? View Debra and Edwards full conference session, “Protecting Your Present and Future: Legal Issues, Being a Witness, EMR Documentation” here:
https://wocn.digitellinc.com/wocn/sessions/3895/view

Want to review more sessions from the WOCN Society’s 50th Annual Conference? The full conference library is available for purchase. Choose from the entire package, or individual sessions:
https://wocn.digitellinc.com/wocn/conferences/97/view.

Other sessions about legal issues and/or EMRs in the WOCN Society’s Continuing Education Center (CEC) include:

Protecting the Roots: Litigation Free EMR

On the Witness Stand

Speaker Bios

Edward Beitz, Esquire - Partner, White and Williams LLP

Edward Beitz is a partner in the medical malpractice defense group at White and Williams LLP. In his ten-year tenure with the firm, he has defended numerous malpractice cases to verdict. His responsibilities include trying case, preparing witnesses for deposition, retaining and preparing experts, developing medical exhibits to explain complex issues to juries. He has also handled a number of medical liability arbitrations and mediations. His experience has made him adept at guiding physicians and nurses through the difficulties of medical malpractice litigation, and helping them explain difficult concepts like anatomy, physiology and related standards of medical care to lay people.

Debra Weinrich, RN, Esquire - Partner, White and Williams LLP

Debra Weinrich is a partner in the medical malpractice defense group at White and Williams LLP. She has been with the firm for nearly 15 years. In that time, she has defended numerous malpractice cases to verdict. Her responsibilities include trying cases, preparing witnesses for deposition, retaining and preparing experts, developing medical exhibits to explain complex issues to juries. Her first career as a nurse has given her the unique ability to identify medical documentation problems and help providers, especially nurses, put them in context to avoid traps set by opposing counsel.

During this special bonus WOCTalk episode, we sit down with Dr. Mariana Byndloss. As an Assistant Professor in the Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology Department at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Mariana’s work examines how inflammation mediates changes in host physiology, and how these changes can cause disruption of the microbial ecosystem in our large intestine, leading to disease.

In this episode, Mariana speaks to us about the content from a recent WOCN Society webinar, The Gut Microbiota & Health: A Focus on Linking Intestinal Dysbiosis & Human Disease, which introduced the exciting field of the microbiome and uncovered the role of the gut microbiota in promoting human health, how gut dysbiosis occurs, and the clinical implications of gut dysbiosis with focus in hospital acquired infections, inflammatory bowel disease and colon cancer. 

This content, while presented onsite at WOCNext 2019, was also presented as an official WOCNext 2019 education rebroadcast. The rebroadcasted webinar and this podcast were both supported by an educational grant from Hollister, Incorporated.

The WOCN Society does not endorse specific products or services. For a list of WOC patient products and services, please click here.

To view a free recording of the webinar The Gut Microbiota & Health: A Focus on Linking Intestinal Dysbiosis & Human Diseasevisit the webcasts section of the WOCN Society’s Continuing Education Center at wocn.org/cec.

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Elizabeth Savage, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC, CWON, IIWCC-NYU, Wound & Ostomy Program Manager at NYU Langone, and Wound & Ostomy Program participants Jessica Lieder, A-GNP, ANP-BC, CWON, and Sarah Lebovits, MSN, RN, ANP-BC, CWOCN, DAPWCA. Elizabeth, Sarah, and Jessica share their experiences of how they work together to successfully onboard and orient non-WOC certified nurses onto their team at NYU Langone. 

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Carole Bauer, MSN, RN, ANP-BC, OCN, CWOCN, Abstract Chair of the WOCN National Conference Planning Committee. Carole discusses the abstract process for WOCNext 2021, including helpful resources, advice on successfully submitting an abstract, conflict of interest, the difference between CE and non-CE posters, and how select authors will present posters during a session at WOCNext 2021.

WOCNext 2021 will take place from June 27-30, 2021, in Orlando, FL and will serve as a hybrid educational event featuring both online and in-person education, networking, and activities geared towards WOC nurses and other healthcare professionals dedicated to providing expert care to patients with wound, ostomy, and incontinence needs.

Abstract submissions for WOCNext 2021 will be accepted through November 2, 2020, at 11:00 AM EDT / 8:00 AM PDT. Abstracts should describe either a research study, case study or practice innovation. All submissions will be completed and submitted electronically. Selection of abstracts will be based solely on a blind peer review. All accepted abstracts will be published in a supplement of the Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing (JWOCN). Additional information can be found at wocnext.org/abstracts.

Episode Resources

Abstract Bite Sized Course: https://wocn.digitellinc.com/wocn/sessions/5642/view

Abstract Submission PowerPoint: https://www.slideshare.net/WOCNext/wocnext-2021-abstract-submission-instructions

Abstract Mentoring: Sometimes authors may have difficulty assimilating ideas into the abstract/poster format. WOCN offers those who desire additional support by connecting individuals with seasoned abstract/poster authors to review the abstract/poster content in progress or to answer questions. If interested in this opportunity, visit wocnext.org/abstracts for additional information.

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Amanda Dominguez, BSN, RN, CWOCN to talk about her co-authored, award-winning poster from WOCNext 2019 titled” Post Event Huddle to Decrease Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injuries”. During the discussion, Amanda speaks about how her team engaged the bedside staff within her hospital to identify barriers to care and implementing changes in pressure injury (PI) prevention techniques according to the findings through the development of a PIRATE (Pressure Injury Review AcT and Educate) huddle. By using this huddle model, all interdisciplinary team members involved in the care of a patient with a hospital-acquired pressure injury (HAPI) were required to attend the PIRATE huddle and participate in the initiatives to care and provide action items for care through a PDSA (Plan Do Study Act) cycle. Listen in to learn more about Amanda’s experience with these models and the outcomes her hospital received as a result of the implementation of these important changes to their care and prevention of HAPIs. 

The abstract for co-authored poster with team member Rebecca Stevens, MSN, RN, CWOCN, can be found by clicking here.

The WOCN Society is accepting abstracts for WOCNext 2020 now through November 1, 2019. Click here for additional information and to start your submission today!

Managing the high output stoma is a challenge for the patient, the family and the nurse. If the stoma is poorly managed, it can lead to local and systemic complications. In this episode of WOCTalk, Dr. Mary Arnold Long reviews the causes and consequences of a high output stomas, as demonstrated in her past educational session, “Slowing the Flow: Dietary, Fluid & Medication Management of the Patient with a High Output Stoma”.

To view the full conference session, click here. Want to review more sessions from past WOCN® Society annual conferences? The full conference libraries are available for purchase. Choose from the entire package, or individual sessions here.

Speaker Bio

Dr. Mary Arnold Long DNP, CRRN, CWOCN-AP, ACNS-BC
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Roper Hospital
Mary Arnold Long obtained an Enterostomal Therapy certificate from Abbott-Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, MN. She achieved CETN (now CWOCN) certification in 1994 & advanced practice CWOCN certification in 2009. She is also board certified as a certified rehabilitation registered nurse (CRRN) & as an adult health clinical nurse specialist (ACNS-BC). In 2016 she was awarded her doctorate in nursing from Otterbein University.

Mary has served the Regional and National Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses SocietyTM (WOCN®) in many roles. In 2005, she was awarded the College of Mount St. Joseph Alumni Leadership Award. In 2008, she received the MidEast Region WOCN “CWOCN Nurse of the Year” award. In 2015, she was honored with a “Palmetto Gold” award, recognizing her as one of the 100 best nurses in South Carolina. In 2017, she was recognized as an Oak Hills High School Distinguished Alumnus. She practices full scope WOC Nursing inpatient and has an ostomy outpatient practice, at Roper Hospital in Charleston, SC.

With a robust pressure injury prevention program in place, the University of California Davis Medical Center, a 620 bed level 1 trauma center, was still reporting numerous pressure injuries. During this episode of WOCTalk, Dr. Sunniva Zaratkiewicz sits down with Dr. Holly Kirkland-Kyhn and Oleg Teleten of UC Davis to discuss data they collected, analyzed and reported on at the WOCN Society’s most recent annual conference in Philadelphia. “Deep Tissue Injury: The Future is in Your Hands”, covers the trends and personal findings of UC Davis Medical Center over a series of 5 years, an initiative that was developed in order to find the patient related risk factors in the development of deep tissue injuries in the ICU and how these risk factors compare to the average ICU patient within their facility.

Interested in learning more about this topic? View Holly and Oleg’s full conference session, “Deep Tissue Injury: The Future is in Your Hands”. Want to review more sessions from the WOCN® Society’s 50th Annual Conference? The full conference library is available for purchase. Choose from the entire package, or individual sessions here.

For a list of WOCN Society recorded continuing education sessions on the topic of pressure injuries, click here.

Speaker Bios

Holly Kirkland-Kyhn PhD, FNP, GNP, CWCN
Director of Wound Care
University of California Davis Medical Center

Dr. Holly Kirkland-Kyhn has worked as a Nurse Practitioner for over 20 years in the Sacramento community. Although trained in the US as an RN, she spent her early career working as a nurse and midwife in England and Ireland. She has travelled to Africa, Haiti, and Belize to work in disaster relief and promoting safe maternal-child care in rural areas. She now works at UC Davis Medical Center as the Director of Wound Care and has led interdisciplinary team initiatives throughout the hospital to improve the safety and quality of care for patients. She is an active member of the “Street Medicine” program at UCDMC, providing education on “Treating wounds from the Dollar Tree” to those who serve individuals who are experiencing homelessness and educating the community on wound care.

Oleg Teleten MS, RN, CWCN
Research/Data Management
University of California Davis Medical Center

Oleg Teleten has worked as a Registered Nurse for 14 years and spent most of his nursing career at UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento. Recently Oleg graduated from UC Davis Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing with an MS in healthcare leadership and nursing science. He is currently a member of UC Davis Wound Care Interdisciplinary Team and is responsible for QI, research projects and IT support. With his colleague, Dr. Kirkland-Kyhn, he has recently finished a number of pressure injury research studies on pressure injuries in an acute care setting.

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Carole Bauer, MSN, RN, ANP-BC, OCN, CWOCN. Carole is currently employed as a wound and ostomy nurse practitioner at Beaumont Hospital in Troy, Michigan, and has been a certified WOC nurse since 1997.

As an active member of the Society, she is passionate about the development and empowerment of WOC nurses and the WOCN Society; this has motivated her to seek various roles within the Society, including Member at Large (Board of Directors), a member of the Ostomy Committee, member of the Scope and Standards Task Force and Chair of the WOCN Society Scholarship Committee. In this episode, we speak to Carole about her career, her role as the Chair of the WOCN Society Scholarship Committee, and the WOCN Foundation Scholarship Program for WOC nurses.

Because of the awareness of the growing need for wound, ostomy, and continence (WOC) nurses throughout the world and a strong belief in the continued growth and success of WOC nursing, the WOCN Society has established a program to award educational scholarships. The partial scholarships are made possible through contributions from individual members, wound, ostomy, and continence product manufacturers, private and public donations, endowments, and regions and affiliates, which comprise the WOCN Society.

The WOCN Society Scholarship Committee is a standing committee of the WOCN Society. The scholarship program is operated under the auspices of the WOCN Society Foundation, which raises, maintains, and disseminates monies and is accountable for the funding of awards.

Scholarships are awarded to deserving individuals who are committed to working in the specialty practice of wound, ostomy, or continence nursing. Applicants agree to support the WOCN Society's mission and the scope of practice for WOC nursing. Click here to view our past recipients. Click here for additional information.

Click here for all the latest Public Policy and Advocacy updates and documents

Click here for information on the Lymphedema Treatment Act

Click here to learn more about the Alliance of Wound Care Stakeholders (The Alliance

Click here to learn about the Ostomy and Continent Diversion Patient Bill of Rights

Click here to learn about the WOCN Society’s Voter Voice platform

Click here to see the Public Policy Hot Topics

Click here to visit the WOCN members-only Public Policy Community discussion

Click here to visit the America Nurses Association (ANA) Advocacy page

Click here to see the CMS Coronavirus waivers and flexibilities

Click here to learn more about the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS)

Click here to learn more about the United Ostomy Associations of America (UOAA)

About the Speakers:

Kate Lawrence, MSN, RN, CWOCN, has had a lifelong love of nursing. Her career has included acute care, medical surgical nursing, home care, hospice, and over 30 years as a wound, ostomy, continence (WOC) nurse delivering the full scope of practice. Her work in WOC nursing includes the development of a comprehensive wound ostomy and continence nursing service for inpatient, outpatient, and contract entities in a rural Vermont hospital setting.

Currently, she is the Program Director of wound, ostomy, continence services at VNA and Hospice of the Southwest Region in Vermont. Her role includes delivery of education and consultation in home care, outpatient, long term, and community care facilities. Kate has held many leadership roles for the WOCN Society and is one of the past presidents of the Society. Currently, Kate is the WOCN Society’s Public Policy and Advocacy Coordinator.

Chris Rorick, MPA, serves as a Senior Policy Advisor at Polsinelli, and the Director of Government Relations with the WOCN Society. Chris brings 25 years of experience in both state and federal government service and government relations. His focus is on health care and health science policy representing numerous physicians, nursing, and medical research associations.  Prior to joining Polsinelli, Chris served in both the state district office and Washington, D.C. office of a U.S. Congressman from Colorado as well a staff member for several Representatives of the Colorado State Legislature.

Do you struggle with not having enough WOC nurses to meet the patient needs in your facility or practice area? The Wound Treatment Associate (WTA) and Ostomy Care Associate (OCA) programs can be a game changer. By training your front level clinicians in the basics of evidence-based wound and ostomy care, the reach of the WOC nursing staff can be extended. WTA and OCA trained clinicians can be your eyes on the ground to help identify issues when they first appear and provide early evidence-based interventions as well as give accurate first-hand information to the rest of the WOC nurse team and providers. During this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with WTA and OCA Course Coordinators to showcase approaches to integrating the WTA and OCA programs into your practice.

Interested in learning more about the WTA and OCA Programs?
For information about WTA, visit: wocn.org/wtaprogram

For information about OCA, visit: wocn.org/ocaprogram

View the full conference session, “Partnering for the Future—Increasing Access to Care (OCA and WTA Integration)”

Want to review more sessions from the Society’s 50th Annual Conference? The full conference library is available for purchase. Choose from the entire package, or individual sessions here.

Speaker Bios

Gisele Castonguay APRN, CWOCN - Nurse Practitioner, Central Maine Medical Center

Gisele Castonguay has offered the WTA program through her institution to both hospital and surrounding regional facilities since 2015. The program is offered twice yearly in a classroom style setting, meeting once weekly for 6 weeks. The goal of the initial program was to provide further education to the inpatient nursing staff and to help develop wound warriors on each nursing unit. Since the implementation of the WTA Program, over 100 individuals that include nurses, NP’s, PA’s and PT’s have successfully completed the program. The program has impacted her institution’s pressure injury rates in a positive way as well as enhanced their ability to provide timely wound care to their inpatient population. It has also provided a much needed community resource for affordable wound education in the region with inadequate WOCN access. The Ostomy Care Associate program was a piloted study in her institution, allowing 17 nurses from across the region, with varied clinical practices, to test the program prior to the official launch. This also provided an opportunity to provide basic didactic and hands-on ostomy education to nurses in a rural setting who have limited access to an experienced WOC nurse.

Sara Coverstone RN, MA - Director, Home Care Compliance and Risk Management, OSF HealthCare

Sara has worked for OSF HealthCare in their Home Care Services department for twelve years, serving as a Certified Wound, Ostomy, Continence Nurse (CWOCN) for eight. She has served in the clinical practice department providing oversight to the wound care team, wound protocols and processes, wound education, and the medical supply program. She has also facilitated wound training extending to the community through the WOCN Society’ Wound Treatment Associate (WTA program). She now serves as the Director of Compliance and Risk Management.

The Society believes the right choice to deliver evidence-based care to individuals with non-healing wounds, ostomies, and urinary and fecal incontinence are nurses educated by WOCN Society-accredited Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing Education Programs (WOCNEPs) and/or nurses who are certified through the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing Certification Board (WOCNCB®).

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Kathleen McLaughlin, DNP, MSN, RN, CWOCN, Chair of the WOCN Society’s Accreditation Committee to talk about the purpose and responsibilities of the committee and how it supports the Society, its members, and the greater nursing community. Listen in to learn more about accreditation and the resources available to nurses interested in WOC nursing education, precepting, certification and professional development opportunities such as volunteering.

Resources from this Episode
Accreditation Policy & Procedure Manual
This resource can be found in the Society’s Document Library, here.

Click here to view WOC Nursing Education Programs (WOCNEPs) Accredited by the WOCN Society.

Click here to view the Pathways to Becoming a WOC Nurse.

The Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing Certification Board (WOCNCB),separate entity from the WOCN Society, provides a national certifying examination designed for entry level into the field for graduates of accredited educational programs. Graduates of an accredited WOC nursing full scope or specialty program are eligible to become Board Certified by taking the (WOCNCB) Examination(s). For more information and to download the certification exam application form, please visit theWOCNCB's website or call the WOCNCB National Office at (888) 496-2622.

If you need assistance finding a preceptor in your area, visit: wocn.org/PreceptorDirectory.

Click here to view the Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurses Society Core Curriculum: Ostomy Management Core, 2nd Edition

Click here to view handout on how to treat ileostomy blockage from the United Ostomy Associations of America (UOAA)

Click here to view all the WOCN-accredited WOC Nursing Education Programs (WOCNEPs)

About the Speaker:

JoAnn is a CWOCN since 1989 and FNP since 1999. She currently is President, Co-Director, and faculty for WEB WOC® Programs in Minneapolis, MN since 2002, educating nurses who are interested in becoming wound, ostomy, and continence care nurse specialists. In addition, JoAnn practices parttime at MercyOne North Iowa Continence clinic and Wound/Vascular Center in Mason City, IA.

She is co-author of a chapter in the 2nd Edition of WOCN Core Curriculum: Wound Management, 2022, which discusses wound bed preparation using the expanded TIME framework and other general principles of topical therapy.

Parastomal hernia development is a common complication for a patient with a stoma. In this special bonus episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Janice C. Colwell, RN, MS, APRN, CWOCN, FAAN, to discuss this complication and the content she presented alongside her colleague, Neil Hyman, MD, at WOCNext 2019. Their session titled, “Parastomal Hernias: A Surgeon and WOC Nurse Perspective” reviewed the incidence, clinical presentation, risk factors, workup and surgical and non-surgical treatment of the ostomy patient with a parastomal hernia.

This session, while presented onsite at WOCNext 2019, was also presented as an official WOCNext 2019 education rebroadcast. The rebroadcasted webinar and this podcast were both supported by an educational grant from Hollister, Incorporated.

The WOCN Society does not endorse specific products or services. For a list of WOC patient products and services, please click here.

To view a free recording of the webinar Parastomal Hernias: A Surgeon and WOC Nurse Perspective visit the webcasts section of the WOCN Society’s Continuing Education Center at wocn.org/cec.

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Mary Jo Conley, BSN, RN, CWOCN, to discuss the implementation of a WOC nurse council that consolidates policy and practice across a large hospital network. Mary Jo goes into detail of how the idea of the council was born, the structure of the council, projects, challenges, and so much more. She addresses how the council serves as a great forum for networking, questions, feedback, and support for new WOC nurses and various departments. She also offers advice for nurses who want to start out on this path. The topic of WOC nurse councils has received a lot of engagement in the WOCN Communities, a WOCN Society members-only online platform for professional networking and questions. 

About the Speaker:

Mary Jo Conley, BSN, RN, CWOCN has been a member of the WOCN Society for more than 30 years. She has recent experience leading a WOC nurse council comprised of WOC nurses from 10 facilities within a hospital network to consolidate policy and practice across the network. Mary Jo currently serves on the WOCN Society’s Board of Directors. She has also been involved in various WOCN Society committees and task forces.

Resources:

Mentioned in this episode - Visit community.wocn.org to access the WOCN Community platform, or access it on the WOCN website under the Members-Only dropdown menu.

Mentioned in this episode - Click here to read the JWOCN article “Development and Implementation of a Simple Wound Care Guideline for Minor Skin Lesions”

In this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Stephanie Yates, MSN, RN, ANP-BC, CWOCN. Stephanie works as a Nurse Practitioner and Team Leader at the Duke Cancer Center in North Carolina. Most recently, at the conclusion of the WOCNext 2019 event this past June, Stephanie was sworn in as the newest President of the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society. Listen in to learn more about the personal and professional life of the 22nd President of the WOCN Society, what she is looking forward to as the newest President of the WOCN Society and her tips for new WOC nurses and those looking for volunteer opportunities on a national level.

Founded in 1968, the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society (WOCN) is a professional, international nursing society of more than 5,000 health care professionals who are experts in the care of patients with wound, ostomy and incontinence. To learn more about the history of the organization, click here.

Episode Resources:

Click here to view the abstract “Beautiful Tiny Stomas: Neonatal Ostomy Models”

Click here to view the interactive ePoster for “Beautiful Tiny Stomas: Neonatal Ostomy Models”

About the Speaker:

Nikki Bruster has been a nurse for 13 years, and a wound/ostomy nurse for more than 7 years. Nikki is currently pursuing her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). Nikki’s nursing background includes pediatric and neonatal bedside and flight, Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), and now wound, ostomy, and continence! Nikki has presented posters at multiple WOCNext® conferences. Her most recent poster “Beautiful Tiny Stomas: Neonatal Ostomy Models”, presented at WOCNext 2023, showed how to make quick, affordable ostomy models for educational purposes. Nikki has also published articles with the Oklahoma Nurses Association (ONA).

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Kate Lawrence, MSN, RN, CWOCN, the WOCN Public Policy and Advocacy Coordinator, and Chris Rorick, MPH, the WOCN  Director of Government Relations, who serve on the WOCN National Public Policy and Advocacy Committee. Kate and Chris discuss updates to the COVID-19 Legislation, partnering with other organizations to fill coverage gaps, Regional and Affiliate resources, the VoterVoice Platform, and other hot topics and resources. 

For more information on WOCN Public Policy and Advocacy efforts, to access documents, and to contact your legislator regarding current policy issues, visit our Public Policy and Advocacy page.

Episode Resources

Click hereto view the WOCN Public Policy & Advocacy page.

Click here to view the WOCN Trending Legislative Issues

Click here to learn more about the Lymphedema Treatment Act

Click here to view the Regional & Affiliate Public Policy Toolkit. (members-only)

Click here to view the WOCN and UOAA Admission and Retention of People Living with an Ostomy in Assisted Living Residences Frequently Asked Questions document.

Click here to view the new Surgical Dressings Provider Checklist and Frequently Asked Questions documents.

Click here to view the Critical Need to Provide Ostomy Supplies Specific to Patient Need to Improve Health Outcomes whitepaper. 

Click hereto send a message to your legislators through the VoterVoice platform.

On this episode of WOCTalk, we talk with Alyson Sweeney, DHlth, MNg, RN, author of the article titled, “Long-term Suprapubic Catheter–Related Care Requirements When Living at Home: Development of a Best Practice Guide” published in the Journal of Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing (JWOCN®), the official journal of the WOCN® Society.

The purpose of this study was to develop a best practice guideline specific to the health care needs of adults living at home with a long-term suprapubic catheter (SPC). 

Episode Resources:

Click here to read the JWOCN article “Long-term Suprapubic Catheter–Related Care Requirements When Living at Home: Development of a Best Practice Guide”.

About the Speaker:

Dr. Alyson Sweeney is an RN and clinical researcher with over 20 years expertise in continence and subspecialty, urinary catheter related nursing care. She is the clinical lead of the Community Continence Service in the South of Tasmania, Australia. Her Professional Doctorate was from the University of Tasmania (2021). Her research focused on the development of a best practice guideline for the care of people who live with a long-term suprapubic catheter. This project was undertaken to address healthcare gaps that were identified in her master’s thesis (Flinders University, 2006) that explored people’s experiences of living with a long-term suprapubic catheter. 

Alyson has extensive knowledge in contemporary long-term catheter related care and her commitment to improve the wellbeing of this cohort is evidenced through her sustained engagement with this topic.

During this episode of WOCTalk we sit down with Coleen Potts, BSN, RN, CWOCN, a certified wound, ostomy and continence nurse working in both inpatient and outpatient care at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. As an RN diagnosed with severe ulcerative colitis shortly after giving birth in 1987, Coleen was faced with ileostomy surgery. Shortly after, she underwent J-pouch surgery to remove her stoma and learned to self-catheterize. Ultimately, Coleen chose to invite a new stoma back into her life. Listen to learn about Coleen’s lifechanging healthcare journey from being an RN to living with an ostomy to becoming a CWOCN.

On this special episode of WOCTalk we sit down with Joanna Burgess, BSN, RN, CWOCN. Joanna is a full scope practicing Wound, Ostomy and Continence (WOC) nurse working for WakeMed Health and Hospitals in Cary, North Carolina where she facilitated the opening of their first outpatient ostomy clinic. Joanna‘s contributions to WOC nursing include serving three years on the WOCN Society’s Ostomy Committee where she helped in developing the "Pediatric Ostomy Complications: Best Practice for Clinicians". Her passion for ostomy care stems from her 51-year journey of living with an ostomy since the age of three. Joanna was the 2011 National Great Comebacks® recipient and has shared her story on a state and national level. She was named the 2016 WOC Nurse of the Year for the southeast region of the United States, and is honored to serve on the board for United Ostomy Associations of America (UOAA). Joanna has also been appointed as the Chairperson for UOAA’s Advocacy Committee. During this episode, we speak to Joanna about her healthcare journey, her career as a WOC nurse, her involvement with the UOAA and Ostomy Awareness Day, which is celebrated this year on Saturday, October 5th. For more information about Ostomy Awareness Day, visit ostomy.org/ostomy-awareness-day.

United Ostomy Associations of America, Inc. (UOAA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports, empowers, and advocates for people who have had or who will have ostomy or continent diversion surgery. For more information, visit ostomy.org.

This special bonus episode of WOCTalk was recorded on February 17, 2021 as part of a live webinar recording. During this live event WOCN members had the opportunity to join WOCN Society leadership as we celebrated our 2020 initiatives and learned about exciting offerings and opportunities that await WOCN members in 2021. A live Q&A took place at the end of the session.

Episode Resources
Click here to view a video recording of the live event along with FAQs and session resources.

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with three WOC nurse experts; Dr. Teresa Kelechi, PhD, RN, CWCN, Dr. Phyllis A. Bonham, PhD, MSN, RN, CWOCN, DPNAP, FAAN, a Past President of the WOCN® Society, and Glenda Brunette, MSN, RN, CWON. We discuss the fourth edition of the evidence-based wound guideline titled, “Guideline for Management of Wounds in Patients with Lower-Extremity Venous Disease”.

Dr. Kelechi, Dr. Bonham and Glenda Brunette go into detail of the rigorous process it takes to plan, develop, edit, and finalize a clinical wound guideline of this nature. Each expert takes turns explaining different aspects of what’s in this guideline; recommendation for prevention and management of LEVD and venous leg ulcers (VLUs), intervention for wound management, assessment, and management of risk reduction, interventions for wound management, patient care, patient education, quality of life and much more.

The updates to and the importance of this guideline will be presented as a session during WOCNext 2020 Reimagined, this year’s virtual educational event taking place June 5-7, 2020.  Learn more about this session by clicking here.

Registration for WOCNext 2020 Reimagined is FREE for WOCN Society members, and non-members can register for a discounted rate of $200. All content and Contact Hours will be available for pre-registered attendees through June 21st. Register online.

Episode Resources

Click here to view/purchase the Guideline for Management of Wounds in Patients with Lower-Extremity Venous Disease.

Click here to view the WOCN Society’s Bookstore.

Click here to access the free online clinical tool for Compression for Primary Prevention, Treatment and Prevention of Recurrence of Venous Leg Ulcers.

Click here to view the JWOCN article on Venous Leg Ulcers.

Click here to view the WOCN Society’s free, online clinical tools for clinicians and consumers.

Click here to view the WOCN Society’s Document Library, which houses best practice documents, case studies, white papers and more.

Click here to view the WOCN Society’s Document Library, which houses best practice documents, case studies, white papers and more.

Click here to view/purchase the online WOCN Clinical Practice Guideline Series.

Click here to view the ECRI Guidelines Trust, a new online repository of clinical practice guidelines from the ECRI Institute.

Click here to view the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) website.

Visit the SALSAL Foundation website at thesalsal.org

The SALSAL Scholarship information can be found here

Information about the SALSAL White Sock Campaign can be found here

Information about SALSAL Patient Assistance can be found here

View the SALSAL Resources here

About the Speakers:

Dr. Desmond Bell is the Founder and President of “The Save A Leg, Save A Life” Foundation, a multi-disciplinary non-profit organization dedicated to the reduction in lower extremity amputations and improving wound healing outcomes through education, evidence-based methodology and community outreach.

He also serves as Chief Medical Officer of Omeza, an evidence-based medical technology company and consumer healthcare products company initially focused on healing chronic wounds and preventing their recurrence. 

In 2020, he joined MD Coaches as an Executive Physician Coach, serving as a peer to peer mentor. Dr. Bell was awarded the Frist Humanitarian Award by Specialty Hospital Jacksonville for 2009 and Memorial Hospital Jacksonville in 2018. He is a Board-Certified Wound Specialist (CWS) having served on the Board of Directors of the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care, the American Board of Wound Management for 6 years as well as on the Board of the American Board of Wound Management Foundation. 

He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow and is a member of the CLI Global Society. Dr. Bell has published numerous articles primarily pertaining to wound management and lower extremity amputation prevention and has served as an Editorial Board Member for the publication “Today’s Wound Clinic” since its inception.   He is nationally recognized speaker, with regular faculty roles at AMP, ASCENT and Modern Wound Care Management.

On this episode on WOCTalk we sit down with Janet Ramundo, MSN, RN, CWOCN, CFCN to talk about the Wound Treatment Associate (WTA®) Program. Janet has been a practicing CWOCN since 1991, in both home health and long-term care settings, and an educator at Emory University’s WOCNEP since 1996. As an active WTA Program Course Coordinator, Janet has graduated over 100 students through the program. She currently serves as the Wound Treatment Associate Advisory Committee Chair for the WOCN® Society.

The WTA Program is a continuing education program created by the WOCN Society to further empower wound, ostomy and continence (WOC) specialty nurses, and improve patient outcomes by strengthening the wound care team. As the premier program offering basic wound care education, the WOCN Society strives to ensure that all program materials remain accurate, relevant, and current. Listen in to learn more about the program, how to bring the program to your institution and the exciting changes that are rolling out as of October 1, 2019--including additional clinical skill competencies and an increase in nursing continuing education contact hours and continuing competency units for physical therapists.

To learn more about the WTA Program, visit wocn.org/wtaprogram.

To learn about how to bring the WTA Program to your facility, visit wocn.org/GettingStartedWTA.

On this episode of WOCTalk we sit down with Ekta Vohra, BSN, RN, CWON. As a certified wound and ostomy nurse for 6 years at a large urban, academic institution, Ekta’s patients span from neonates through the geriatric population. After experiencing an increase of 257% in ostomy patient visits and 138% in wound patient visits, Ekta and the team at her facility worked to research and measure the demand they were facing and understand the costs savings associated with adding additional full-time staff to meet this demand. Through their research, understanding of workload productivity, and dedication to showcase the value of WOC nurses, they developed a proposal for additional staff and eventually increased their team by four new members. Listen in to learn more about their processes, including the research for their proposal, the on-boarding of new staff and the on-going and future projects of the department.

Resources Mentioned in this Episode
The Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice, 2nd Edition provides an overview of the scope of WOC nursing practice, the standards of WOC nursing practice and professional performance that are based on the authoritative statements of the ANA (2015a) regarding the duties of all registered nurses. The standards define the responsibilities of the WOC nurse and guide professional practice and performance. Competencies are included for each standard, which provide evidence of compliance with that particular standard. To purchase, please click here.

The 2016 WOC Nursing Salary and Productivity Survey is a member benefit provided by the WOCN Society. The information contained in this report represents compensation and productivity data on the WOC nursing industry. The report is designed to allow a user to easily compare their compensation and productivity levels with their peers. If you are a member, this resource is available for free and can be found in the WOCN Document Library at wocn.org/library. If you are a non-member, this resource is available for purchase in the WOCN Society bookstore at wocn.org/bookstore.

Episode Resources:

For resources mention in this article, visit the links below:

Maura’s Abstract & ePoster: Skin Care Champion Program at a South Jersey Teaching Hospital's Progressive Care Unit

Alicia’s Abstract & ePoster: An Educational Intervention Differentiating Between Pressure Injuries and End-of-Life Wounds

WOCNext 2024 Pictures

WOCNext website

About the Guests:

Alicia Perez Varela has been a registered nurse since 2017 and earned her wound care certification in 2021. She attended WOCNext® for the first time in 2024. Alicia currently works at an outpatient advanced wound care and hyperbaric clinic and is also a member of the inpatient wound care team.

Maura Callahan has been a bedside nurse for 8 years, with experience in Long Term Care, Home Care, and Acute Care in the Progressive Care Unit as a Charge Nurse and Training Preceptor. She is passionate about Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Care and completed the Rutgers University-Camden Wound Ostomy Continence Nursing Education Program. This training has enabled her to support various units with care and education for patients, families, and caregivers. Maura is actively involved in her facility’s Skin, Wound Assessment Team, leads the Skin Care Champion Program, and recently joined the Hospital System's Pressure Injury Reduction Council.

Episode Resources:

For resources mention in this article, visit the links below

Abstract: “Going With the Flow” to Develop a Robust External Female Catheter Implementation Process

ePoster: Going With the Flow” to Develop a Robust External Female Catheter Implementation Process

Article: Implementation of an external female urinary catheter strategy on prevention of skin breakdown in acute care: A quality improvement study

Wound Treatment Associate (WTA) Program

Ostomy Care Associate (OCA) Program

WOC Nursing Education Programs accredited by the WOCN Society

About the Speakers:

Cecilia Zamarripa, PhD, RN, CWON, is a Wound, Ostomy and Continence (WOC) Nurse for 38 years and currently manages the WOC Nursing Department at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Prior to that, Cece practiced WOC Nursing at Baylor University Medical Center Dallas, Texas; Rush University Medical Center; and at the UPMC since 1997.

Cece has been involved as a clinical preceptor for nurses in a WOCNEP and in Nursing Education roles. In 2010, Cece had the privilege of being selected as the Joint Commission Resources Patient Safety Scholar in Residence. Her teaching experience includes RN to BSN program at Slippery Rock University, Community Health Nursing, clinical instructor at Duquesne University, Preceptor for nurses completing their WOC Nursing Education Program, and Course Co-Coordinator for the Wound Treatment Associate (WTA®) and Ostomy Care Associate (OCA®) programs.

Cece is involved in the Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurses Society™ (WOCN®) and was a past volunteer for WOCNext Conference Planning Committee. Cece is involved in her professional specialty organization and was a contributing member of the WOCN Peristomal Consensus Panel in November 2020. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau, Western PA Area Chapter for National Association of Hispanic Nurses, WOCN Society™, the WCET and a current Director for the WOCN Board.

Alexandra Craig, BSN, RN, WTA-C is a clinical research coordinator (CRC) for the UPMC Presbyterian WOC Nursing Department. During Alex’s time in the department, she has been instrumental in to help develop the projects and prepared documents for research study protocols. Her research experience includes a Support Surfaces RCT, Ostomy Barrier leakage retrospective study and numerous wound care quality projects. She is passionate about learning; research and the nursing science provides the evidence to improve patient care outcomes. She is currently enrolled in her MSN program and plans to attend a WOC Nursing Education Program (WOCNEP) soon after.

In this episode of WOCTalk we sit down with Morgan Womble, RN, CWOCN, winner of the WOCN Society’s Future is Bright Award in 2019. This WOCN award recognizes a new WOC nurse within his/hers first five (5) years of practice who is tri-specialty certified and destined to make a significant contribution to WOC care as an educator, a researcher, or in clinical practice. The Future is Bright Award is intended to recognize a new WOC nurse who exemplifies the scope of WOC nursing practice as defined in “WOC Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice”, 2nd Edition. Listen in to learn about Morgan’s professional background and her future as a WOC nurse.

Episode Resources:

To learn more about the Better Health Ostomy Peer Support Program, click here.

To refer your patient to Better Health, visit trybetter.com.

About the Speaker:
Emily Gray, MSN, CRNP, CEN, is a nurse practitioner and ostomate who directs the Peer Support program at Better Health. After realizing that ostomates have far more to learn than just pouch changes and basic troubleshooting, she became a peer coach. Now Emily and her team work to provide a holistic approach to patient care that includes product expertise, patient education, and emotional support to help ostomates adjust to their new normal and to reduce the burden on clinical staff.

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with WOCN WOC Extender Advisory Committee Chair, Sara Coverstone, RN, MA, CHC, CWON. The WOC Extender Advisory Committee oversees the clinical aspects associated with the WTA and OCA Programs. Sara shares with us her experience on the committee, the history of the WTA and OCA committees, including how they merged to become the WOC Extender Advisory Committee, and gives an insight into both the WTA and OCA Programs.

The Wound Treatment Associate (WTA) Program and the Ostomy Care Associate (OCA) Program are geared toward non-specialty, licensed wound care and ostomy care providers and medics/corpsmen. These programs are designed to improve and strengthen wound and ostomy care expertise among healthcare providers to improve patient care, with flexible education applicable to all healthcare settings.

Episode Resources: 

Click here to learn more about the Wound Treatment Associate (WTA) Program.

Click here to learn more about the Ostomy Treatment Associate (OCA) Program.

To learn more about The Value of the WOC Nurse: A WOCN® Quality Improvement Project, click here.

To view the Value of the WOC Nurse resource page, click here.

To begin showcasing your value on the WOC Nurse Value Dashboard, click here.

Members of the WOCN Society may download the WOC Nursing Salary & Productivity Survey here.

About the Speakers:

Joyce Pittman, PhD, RN, ANP-BC, FNPBC, CWOCN, FAAN is the Chair of the WOCN Quality Indicators Task Force and an Associate Professor for the College of Nursing at the University of South Alabama Health Sciences.

Jen Hurley, CHCP, CPHQ, is a support staff member of WOCN® where she serves as a Continuing Education & Accreditation Services consultant.

On this episode of WOCTalk we welcome back Brooke Passy, CMP, Meeting Manager for the WOCN® Society. During this episode Brooke reviews key highlights and information regarding the Society’s WOCNext 2020 Reimagined, along with tips for online learning. Attendees of this reimagined event can expect to learn from experienced wound, ostomy and continence (WOC) nursing professionals, chat with over 60 exhibiting companies, and view over 100 ePosters all while boosting their nursing skills from the comfort of their home or office! Listen in to learn more and visit wocnext.org to register today.

Interested in joining us? Click here to learn more reasons to love WOCNext 2020 Reimagined. Be sure to register before 12pm ET on Friday, June 5 to gain access to live and on-demand content and an opportunity to earn 30 Contact Hours from Friday, June 5 through Sunday, June 21.

In this episode of WOCTalk we sit down with Sarah Lebovits, MSN, RN, ANP-BC, CWOCN DAPWCA, and Kathy Meyer from the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing Certification Board (WOCNCB®) to discuss the Professional Growth Program (PGP) as part of the PGP Portfolio Recertification Process. Sarah and Kathy answer frequently asked questions, discuss recertification resources, and speak to additional activities that can provide a more rounded experience for WOC nurses.

Episode Resources:

Click here for information on the WOCNCB Professional Growth Program (PGP)

Click here to view the WOCNCB Exam Preparation resources

Click here to access the WOCNCB “Ask the Board” feature

Episode Resources:

For resources mentioned in this episode, visit the links below:

Local Coverage Determination (LCD) for Ostomy Supplies document L33828 located on cms.gov

UOAA Support Group Finder

About the Speaker:

Stephanie Yates MSN, RN, ANP-BC, CWOCN, WOCNF, is a master’s prepared Nurse Practitioner and consultant, educated at UNC - Chapel Hill, and Duke University. She received WOC nursing education at Emory University. Stephanie practiced for many years in acute care, home health, long term care and at the Duke Wound Management Clinic and Duke Cancer Center. She is a Past President of the WOCN® Society and she led or participated on three consensus conferences related to MARSI. She co-authored several journal articles on MARSI as well as co-edited the second edition of the WOCN Core Curriculum-Wound Care. She has lectured on wound care topics locally, regionally, and nationally. She was recently inducted as a Fellow in the WOCN Society.

Click here to access the WOCN Society’s online Continuing Education Center (CEC)

Click here to search the newest online courses

Click here to view the new certification review courses

Click here to access the WOCN Society’s free online Clinical Resources

If you missed WOCN® Wound Education Day 2023, click here to purchase the on-demand sessions

If you missed WOCN® Pharmacology Day 2023, click here to purchase the on-demand sessions

About the Speaker:

Meghan Smith, MSN, AGACNP, CWOCN, is a nurse practitioner in the Department of Surgery at Henry Ford Health in Detroit where she has implemented a WOC nurse mentoring program. She has been a nurse for 20 years and a certified wound ostomy continence nurse for 16 years. She has had previous presentations on ostomy care, pressure injury prevention, staff education and mentoring. She serves as the current chair of the WOCN Education Committee. When she's not empowering others to make a bigger impact on what's most important, Debbie can be found boycotting winter and chasing sunshine from Pennsylvania to Florida each year with her husband, Tom.

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Phyllis A. Bonham, PhD, MSN, RN, CWOCN, DPNAP, FAAN, WOCN Society Past President, and the Chair of the WOCN Wound Guidelines Task Force. Phyllis joins us to discuss the newest updated clinical guideline, Guideline for Management of Patients with Lower-Extremity Wounds Due to Diabetes Mellitus and/or Neuropathic Disease. Phyllis covers the 14-step process for revisions to the guideline, the updates the task force made to the guideline, and tips for implementing the Guideline for Management of Patients with Lower-Extremity Wounds Due to Diabetes Mellitus and/or Neuropathic Disease at your practice. 

The WOCN Society’s Guideline for Management of Patients with Lower-Extremity Wounds Due to Diabetes Mellitus and/or Neuropathic Disease is the result of a systematic search, review, and synthesis of evidence from literature published from January 2014 through May 2018 with some relevant updates from 2019–2021 during the consensus review process. The target audience for the guideline includes wound, ostomy, and continence (WOC) specialty nurses and other healthcare professionals who specialize in, direct, or provide wound care for patients with/or at risk for lower-extremity (LE) wounds due to diabetes mellitus and/or neuropathic disease (DM/ND).

Episode Resources

Click here to purchase the Guideline for Management of Patients with Lower-Extremity Wounds Due to Diabetes Mellitus and/or Neuropathic Disease

Click here to purchase the mobile WOCN Clinical Practice Guideline Series.

Click here to visit the WOCN Bookstore

Click here to read the JWOCN article titled,2021 Guideline for Management of Patients With Lower-Extremity Wounds Due to Diabetes Mellitus and/or Neuropathic Disease: An Executive Summary

Click here to view the WOCNext 2022 session titled, Update on the Guideline for Management of Patients with Lower-Extremity Wounds Due to Diabetes Mellitus and/or Neuropathic Disease

Click here to view the Lower-Extremity Wounds due to Venous Disease, Arterial Disease, or Diabetes Mellitus and/or Neuropathic Disease: Clinical Resource Guide (2021)

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Brooke Passy. Brooke is a Certified Meeting Planner (CMP) and the WOCN® Society’s Meeting Manager. During this episode she reviews the ins-and-outs of the WOCN Society’s newly re-branded education event, WOCNext.

WOCNext 2019 will take place in Nashville from June 23-26, 2019. For additional information visit wocnext.org.

If you are a registered attendee, and interested in learning more about ePosters, session handouts or the MyWOCN app, please click use links below.

Eposters
This year, our Poster Hall will be made up of 50% ePosters! Good news, you can now view the ePosters that will be presented in Nashville online before you arrive and after the event has finished.

Click here to view the WOCNext 2019 ePosters. They will be available to view online through July 12, 2019.

Handouts
WOCNext 2019 sessions handouts are now available to view, download and/or print. There are two ways to access this year’s handouts.

To access handouts online: Log in to MyWOCN, your personal briefcase of event planning tools, using your badge number and click “handouts”.

To access handouts from your mobile device: Open the MyWOCN app, click "Handouts" on the main menu, log in with your Email Address and Badge Number, select the handout(s) for the session(s) you are interested in.

MyWOCN App
Navigate WOCNext 2019 like a pro with the MyWOCN app. With the app you are able to: view the event schedule and build your personalized itinerary, message exhibitors and schedule one-on-one appointments with them, view speaker information, view the interactive exhibit hall floor plan, view wound, ostomy and continence (WOC) products, access session handouts and more!

Turn on/allow notifications within the app to get real-time updates during the event.

In this episode of WOCTalk we sit down with 3 WOC nurses who have all experienced implementing and/or participating in the Wound Treatment Associate (WTA® Program). What is the WTA Program? The WTA Program as a continuing education program created by the WOCN® Society to further empower wound, ostomy and continence (WOC) specialty nurses, and improve patient outcomes by strengthening the wound care team. With a flexible education program that is applicable to all health care settings, the WTA Program prepares non-WOC certified nurses to provide optimal care for patients with acute and chronic wounds under the direction of a WOC specialty nurse, WOC advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), or physician. Listen in to learn how one WTA Course Coordinator turned two of her graduates down the path to full-scope WOC certification.

To learn more about the WTA Program, visit wocn.org/wtaprogram.

About the Interviewees
Tara Beuscher, DNP, RN-BC, GCNS-BC, ANP-BC, CWOCN, CFCN, NEA-BC, has been a WOC nurse for many years and has experience in several different practice areas including acute care, home care, hospice, long term care, LTAC, assisted living and ambulatory care. She is the Lead Nurse Planner for the WOCN® Society, along with the section editor for the Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing (JWOCN) Foot and Nail section.

Melissa Parker, RN, CWOCN is a Clinician III at the University of Virginia Health System where she works full-time on the wound care team and teaches wound care and pressure injury prevention classes to on-boarding nurses.

Ann Roberts, RN, CWOCN works at the University of Virginia Health System within in-patient wound and ostomy services. Ann is the President of the Blue Ridge Affiliate of the WOCN Society.

This special podcast is part of the Ostomy Observations Series, a brand-new 6-part series that is included in the "Educating Today for Exceptional Outcomes Tomorrow" Program and is commercially supported through an educational grant from Hollister Incorporated. On this month’s episode we sit down with Christine Berke, MSN, APRN-NP, CWOCN-AP, AGPCNP-BC to speak about the topic, “In the Thick of It- Modifying Stool Consistency with Fecal Stomas”. 

Chris is a Nurse Practitioner at Nebraska Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska. She is a full-time provider in the Wound & Ostomy Clinic and has been instrumental in expanding the services there over the last 13 years. Chris served on the National WOCN® Society Board of Directors for 6 years; for 2 years as a Director and then 4 years as the Secretary. She previously completed a 5-year term on the Advanced Practice Exam Committee of the WOCNCB® and served as the Chair of that Committee for 2 years. During her tenure, she helped developed, write, and launch the 3 inaugural exams for Advanced Practices nurses in the field of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing. She has been a nurse for 39 years, a WOC nurse for 21 years, and an Advanced Practice nurse for 14 years. She has published several WOC-related articles in peer-reviewed journals and has helped co-author two book chapters.

Listen in to learn more about Chris’ experience with stool consistency, principles to follow when managing patients, general categories of medications to help manage patients, and more.

This podcast is part of the OstomyObservations Podcast Series, a brand-new 6-part series that is included in the "Educating Today for Exceptional Outcomes Tomorrow" Program. Both the podcast series and the Educating Today for Exceptional Outcomes Tomorrow Program are commercially supported through an educational grant from Hollister Incorporated. For additional information, please visit: wocn.org/exceptionaloutcomes. The WOCN® Society does not endorse or support products or services.

Episode Resources:

View the WOC Core Curriculum Books

View Diet and Nutrition information from the United Ostomy Associations of America (UOAA)

This webpage contains a sign-up form for Short Bowel Syndrome-related resources with an option to receive a complimentary copy of The Adult Patient’s Guide to Managing a Short Bowel, 5th Edition, by Carol Rees Parrish, MS, RDN

Short Bowel Syndrome Practical Approach to Management: Practical Approach to Management by John K. DiBaise, Carol Rees Parrish, and Jon S. Thompson is available on Amazon

Please note the WOCN® Society does not endorse or support products or services.

Click here for details about the WOC N Roll Welcome Party at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday, June 8. Purchase a ticket ahead of time through the WOCNext registration site.

Click here to listen to the WOCTalk episode with Destination Cleveland for insider tips on what to see and do in Cleveland.

Click here for a comprehensive list of things to do and places to eat in Cleveland.

Register to attend WOCNext in-person.

Register to attend WOCNext virtually.

Click here to download the WOCNext app.

About the Speaker:

Brooke Passy is a Certified Meeting Planner (CMP), Digital Event Strategist (DES), and is the Director of Meetings for the WOCN® Society.

On this episode of WOCTalk we sit down with Mary Willis, MS, RN, CWOCN and Diane Bryant, MS, RN, CWOCN of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA to discuss their recent poster at WOCNext 2019. The poster, titled “Collecting Data to Advocate for Additional WOC Resources: YOU CAN DO IT!” outlined how data they collected drove the decision to hire an additional WOC nurse to handle the workload in their urban, academic medical center. Listen in to learn more about Mary and Diane’s clinical backgrounds, their association with the WOCN Society and how they developed a compelling needs assessment document and proposal to acquire additional WOC nurse resources.

The abstract for Mary and Diane’s co-authored poster, “Collecting Data to Advocate for Additional WOC Resources: YOU CAN DO IT!”, can be found by clicking here.

Need help demonstrating your value as a WOC nurse? The Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, 2nd Edition provides a valuable resource for WOC nurses to promote excellence in professional and specialty practice, quality care, improved patient outcomes; and it can be used to articulate the importance and value of WOC nurses to administrators, legislators, payers, patients, and others. The updated document, available for purchase in the WOCN Society’s Bookstore, provides an overview of the scope of WOC nursing practice including the following: description, definition, history and evolution of WOC nursing; characteristics of WOC nursing practice; description of the tri-specialty; WOC nurse roles, populations served, and practice settings; care coordination and collaboration by WOC nurses; education preparation and levels of WOC nurse providers; certification for WOC nursing; mandate for continuous professional development; ethics in WOC nursing; current issues and trends that influence WOC nursing; future considerations and challenges for WOC nursing; and standards of WOC nursing practice and professional performance with competencies for each standard.

Participants:
Mary F. Mahoney, MSN, RN, CWON, CFCN
Barbara J. Rozenboom, BSN, RN, CWON

People who have a stoma often have many of the same questions and concerns. In this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with co-authors of the Basic Ostomy Skin Care: A Guide for Patients and Health Care Providers, a resource document that addresses answers to some of the most asked questions that people ask about the care of a stoma and the skin around the stoma. While the answers in this resource are meant for the person who has a stoma, there may also be helpful for the nurse as a teaching tool.

The Basic Ostomy Skin Care: A Guide for Patients and Health Care Providers can be viewed in the WOCN Document Library by clicking here.

This special podcast is part of the Ostomy Observations Series, a brand-new 6-part series that is included in the "Educating Today for Exceptional Outcomes Tomorrow" Program and is commercially supported through an educational grant from Hollister Incorporated.

On this month’s episode we sit down with Stephanie Yates, MSN, RN, ANP-BC, CWOCN, and Janet Stoia Davis, RN, CWOCN, FCN, to discuss sex and sexual function with people living with ostomies.

Stephanie Yates holds a BSN from UNC-Chapel Hill and an MSN from Duke University with a primary focus in adult oncology. She later completed a Post Masters certificate as an adult nurse practitioner. Her WOC nursing training was completed at Emory in 1981. Practicing for over 40 years, ostomy patients have always been a large part of her practice.Active with her local UOAA chapter since 1981, she serves as program chair and professional advisor. In her current professional position, she sees patients throughout the Duke Cancer Center, in all stages of treatment and survival. Over half of her clinical time involves ostomy patients, either pre-op, immediately post-op or at any point following ostomy surgery.

Janet Stoia Davis has been a CWOCN since 1985 and has practiced in a variety of settings over the past 36 years. She is currently in private WOC nurse practice with a focus on ostomy care and runs outpatient ostomy clinics serving different populations. She is the current chair of the National Conference Planning Committee for the WOCN® Society. She has done numerous presentations on ostomy care and worked on publications on ostomy quality of life and wound management.

This podcast is part of the OstomyObservations Podcast Series, a brand-new 6-part series that is included in the "Educating Today for Exceptional Outcomes Tomorrow" Program. Both the podcast series and the Educating Today for Exceptional Outcomes Tomorrow Program are commercially supported through an educational grant from Hollister Incorporated. For additional information, please visit: wocn.org/exceptionaloutcomes. The WOCN® Society does not endorse or support products or services.

This special podcast is part of the Ostomy Observations Series, a brand-new 6-part series that is included in the "Educating Today for Exceptional Outcomes Tomorrow" Program and is commercially supported through an educational grant from Hollister Incorporated. 

On this final series episode, we talk with Jan Colwell, APRN, CWOCN, FAAN, to discuss colostomy irrigation management and best practices.

This podcast is part of the OstomyObservations Podcast Series, a brand-new 6-part series that is included in the "Educating Today for Exceptional Outcomes Tomorrow" Program. Both the podcast series and the Educating Today for Exceptional Outcomes Tomorrow Program are commercially supported through an educational grant from Hollister Incorporated. For additional information, please visit: wocn.org/exceptionaloutcomes. The WOCN® Society does not endorse or support products or services.

Episode Resources:

Read the JWOCN® Evidence-Based Report Card Does Colostomy Irrigation Affect Functional Outcomes and Quality of Life in Persons With a Colostomy?

Read the JWOCN® article Colostomy Irrigation: Current Knowledge and Practice of WOC Nurses

Learn about the Ostomy Care Association (OCA) Program

Speaker Bio:

Jan Colwell, APRN, CWOCN, FAAN, has practiced as a wound and ostomy nurse for over 40 years. Most recently Jas has been the lead ostomy advanced practice nurse in an outpatient ostomy clinic. In her role as an ostomy nurse, Jan has had the opportunity to educate patients on colostomy irrigation and has been part of a research team that has examined the perceptions of ostomy nurses on irrigation. Jan has made many contributions to the field including serving as Past President of WOCN®, Editor and contributor to two ostomy care text books, Ostomy section Editor for the JWOCN®, Principal Investigator on several ostomy related research projects, Author on numerous publications in peer reviewed journals, member of the Task Force to update the WOCN Ostomy Guidelines, and has presented multiple oral presentations on ostomy care nationally and internationally.

About the Speakers:

Colleen Drolshagen, BSN, RN, APRN, CWOCN, is a board-certified wound, ostomy, and continence (WOC) nurse with over 35 years of experience caring for individuals with these specific needs. She has worked in both acute care and outpatient settings. She has enjoyed many opportunities to speak internationally and to volunteer within her professional organizations. Colleen served on the Wound, Ostomy Continence Certification Board (WOCNCB®) exam committee, served as chair of that committee and is currently on the WOCNCB exam preparation committee. Colleen has also served as Director for the WOCN® Society. Colleen served on the National Conference Planning committee and was also selected as chair for that committee and served 4 years. Currently, Colleen is in the global research department as Principal Clinical Scientist at Hollister. This transition has allowed her to continue her passion of assisting individuals with ostomy and continence needs but now on a global level. She contributes to science-driven information that supports positive outcomes to enhance their quality of life.

Mandy Spitzer, MBA, RN, CWOCN, CFCN, has been a Registered Nurse for 14 years with a focus on wound, ostomy, and continence nursing for the past 11 years. Prior to joining Smith+Nephew, Mandy practiced at a Level-One Trauma Center where she gained experience addressing chronic wounds, complex surgical wounds, ostomies, and guiding the WOC practice and staff education for the institution. She currently serves as President for the South Central Region of the WOCN Society and is an active member of the WOCN Society. Mandy now serves as Senior Global Clinical Strategy Manager supporting real world evidence generation for Smith+Nephew's Advanced Wound Care portfolio.

Episode Resources:

For resources mentioned in this episode, including organizations where you can donate unused ostomy supplies, visit the links below:

Friends of Ostomates Worldwide-USA (FOW)

Friends of Ostomates Worldwide (Canada) (FOWC)

United Ostomy Associations of America (UOAA) Support Group finder

American Cancer Society

USC Center for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

About the Speaker:

Janice Colwell, APRN, CWOCN, FAAN, is an advanced practice nurse certified in wound ostomy and continence care. She most recently practiced at the University of Chicago Medicine providing care to patients with ostomies. She is a past president of the WOCN Society and Friends of Ostomates Worldwide USA, and has contributed to ostomy patient care by editing several ostomy care textbooks, participating in ostomy research projects, authoring multiple ostomy-based articles, and is the co-section editor of the ostomy section of the Journal of Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing (JWOCN).