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Recognizing increased demand for wound care in all settings, including in the military, the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society (WOCN) has developed a new Wound Treatment Associate (WTA) continuing educational program open to RNs and LPNs/LVNs, as well as military medics/corpsmen.
The first WTA regional course will be held May 7-11, 2012 at the Indianapolis University Health Methodist Hospital Conference Center in Indianapolis. The cost to attend is $1,800 per person. Registration and additional program information can be found at http://www.wocn.org/?page=WTA.
Due to the growth of the aging population, the demand for wound care expertise continues to rise, says Phyllis Bonham, PhD, MSN, RN, CWOCN, DPNAP, FAAN, immediate past president of WOCN.
A collaborative approach is necessary to achieve optimal patient outcomes, adds Bonham. "Therefore, the ability to work within a team is vital to the care of all patients with wound care needs. This WTA education program will prepare nurses to work with other members of the wound care team to carry out an effective wound treatment plan."
As WOC specialty nurse extenders, WTAs will assist nursing staff with daily patient monitoring, identifying risk of pressure ulcers, implementing pressure ulcer prevention programs and providing wound management, including application of topical dressings.
Additionally, WTAs will assist with providing basic education about skin and wound care to fellow staff, the patients and families, and identify patient for referral to a wound specialist or vascular surgeon, which can be vital to a patient's healing process.
An online option for the WTA program with onsite competency evaluations will soon be available, according to WOCN. The cost for the online program is $2,500.00 for a 2-year license, plus a $100 fee for each nurse who participates in the program. For more information, visit http://www.wocn.org/?page=WTA.
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