Episode Resources:

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

• WOCNext® 2024 presentation, “Don’t Just ‘Go with the Flow’! Practice Update for the Management of High Output Fecal Ostomies” - available for on-demand viewing for registered attendee
• WOCN members-only communities for online networking threads and professional discussions

About the Speaker:

Tammy Lichtman, BSN, RN, CWON, is a seasoned CWON with 15 years of experience, including roles as Regional Wound and Ostomy Director for home health in Florida and owner of her own consulting business. Her background includes surgical nursing at the Cleveland Clinic and leadership positions at AdventHealth, where she managed the wound/ostomy program across multiple campuses.

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.

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 Meghan Smith, MSN, RN, AGACNP, CWOCN, Chair of the Education Committee for the WOCN® Society. Meghan discusses the committee’s process of content development in compliance with the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide educational opportunities that help improve care and patient outcomes. The committee works hard to identify and fill gaps in wound, ostomy, and continence (WOC) education across the continuum of care and lifespan of patients, to meet the educational needs of WOCN members, to provide different learning options for members, and more!

WOCN members have access to 60+ FREE Online Courses totaling 45+ Contact Hours, all of which provide Contact Hours and are housed in the Society’s Continuing Education Center (CEC).

Episode Resources

Visit the Continuing Education Center (CEC).

View all our Continuing Education Courses.

View all our Certification Review Courses.

View all our Bite Sized Learning courses.

To view a list of the WOCN Committee Chairs, click here.

To learn more about the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), click here.

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.

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 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 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 Edward Beitz, Esquire. Ed focuses his practice on medical malpractice defense. He defends doctors, nurses, physicians assistants, and hospitals at the trial and appellate levels, as well as general liability matters. He has successfully defended numerous medical malpractice cases at trial involving complex issues of the human anatomy, such as cardiac surgery, neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, nursing care, obstetrical complications, nerve injury and vascular injury. Ed has also tried multiple cases to defense verdicts before arbitration panels in Philadelphia County. His practice has involved a wide range of other medical specialties, including, bariatric surgery, pain management and emergency medicine.

Ed has authored briefs on appellate issues in healthcare and coverage matters to the Superior Court of Pennsylvania, The New Jersey Appellate Division and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. He has also written and developed articles and presentations on emerging issues in medical malpractice, such as the increased relevance of electronic medical records in the context of civil litigation.

The focus of our discussion revolves around the recent WOCN Society webinar, “Don’t Write So That You Can Be Understood, Write So That You Can’t Be Misunderstood”: Medico-Legal Issues in WOC Nursing”. To view a recording of this webinar visit the webcasts section of the WOCN Society’s Continuing Education Center at wocn.org/cec.

This podcast and the webinar, “Don’t Write So That You Can Be Understood, Write So That You Can’t Be Misunderstood”: Medico-Legal Issues in WOC Nursingwere 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.

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 Rebecca Bryan, DNP, AGPCNP, APN, and Janice M. Beitz, Ph.D., RN, CS, CNOR, CWOCN-AP, CRNP, MAPWCA, ANEF, FNAP, FAAN, as they speak about their session from WOCNext 2020 Reimagined titled, “Critical Connections: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Adult Chronic Illness and WOC Nursing”. Rebecca and Janice explain the science of ACEs, answer audience questions from their live session, and share advice on helping patients through their ACEs. 

Their session from WOCNext 2020 Reimagined focused on the science of ACEs, specifically scrutinizing neuroscience, epigenetics, and resilience factors from the perspective of the WOC nurse. This session also identified the significant gap in the scientific literature in this milieu and called for research to better understand critical connections among ACEs, adult chronic illness, and skin, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary manifestations.

Want to learn more?  Click here to view Rebecca and Janice’s session at WOCNext 2020 Reimagined, “Critical Connections: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Adult Chronic Illness and WOC Nursing.” Click here to read their published article “Connections Among Biologic Embedding of Childhood Adversity, Adult Chronic Illness, and Wound Care: A Review of the Literature.”

Did you miss the live WOCNext 2020 Reimagined event? No worries! WOCN members have free access to the event's evidence-based wound, ostomy, continence, and foot and nail care sessions that have been archived in the WOCN Continuing Education Center (CEC) Conference Library. All sessions have closed captioning available. No Contact Hours are available.Click hereto access the complete list of archived sessions.

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.

On this episode of WOCTalk we sit down with Barbara J. Rozenboom, BSN, RN, CWON, and Mary Mahoney, MSN, RN, CWOCN, CFCN as they speak about their session from WOCNext 2020 Reimagined titled, “Chronic Tissue Injury: Recognizing & Publishing Clinical Issues”. Barbara and Mary explain their telehealth practice model for WOC care in their homecare agency, UnityPoint at Home, answer audience questions from their live session, and speak to their work with chronic tissue injury. 

Their session from WOCNext 2020 Reiminaged focuses on raising awareness for unique tissue injuries and working towards the goal to have consistent terminology to describe tissue injury in skin classification systems for correct and reliable selection by all healthcare providers. In addition, the lecture covers how the authors identify the clinical problem and the process it takes to bring the clinical issue to publication. 

Want to learn more? 

Click here to view Barbara and Mary’s session at WOCNext 2020 Reimagined, “Chronic Tissue Injury: Recognizing & Publishing Clinical Issues”. 

Click here to read their published JWOCN article, “Definition and Characteristics of Chronic Tissue Injury: A Unique Form of Skin Damage”.

Did you miss the live WOCNext 2020 Reimagined event? No worries! WOCN members have free access to the event's evidence-based wound, ostomy, continence, and foot and nail care sessions that have been archived in the WOCN Continuing Education Center (CEC) Conference Library. All sessions have closed captioning available. No Contact Hours are available. Click here to access the complete list of archived sessions. 

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 Martina Mueller, PhD, and Teresa Kelechi, PhD, GCNS, CWCN, FAAN, Deputy Editor of the Journal of Wound, Ostomy, and Continence (JWOCN). Currently, both Martina and Teresa work at the Medical University of South Carolina College of Nursing and have worked together for about 14 years. Martina and Teresa discuss important changes, specifically regarding reporting the p-value when reporting quantitative research, in the JWOCN and other journals. 

In the past, reporting a null p-value would affect if a study was published or not. Statisticians are now telling authors to not only rely on the p-value as a measure of importance, but to also report the effect size and the confidence interval. Martina and Teresa encourage authors to review the author guidelines of the journal they are submitting to and pay attention to how they are submitting their data, because several journals, including the JWOCN, are changing their guidelines. 

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 “Moving to a World Beyond “p < 0.05”.

Click here to read “Moving nursing beyond p  < 0.05”.

Click here

 to read “Symptoms Associated With Chronic Venous Disease in Response to a Cooling Treatment Compared to Placebo: A Randomized Clinical Trial”.

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Kristen Weiss Sanders, Director of Development for Girls With Guts. Kristen shares with us her own story of having an ostomy, living with Crohn’s disease and her experience on how she became hooked on the sisterhood behind the Girls With Guts organization.

Girls With Guts is non-profit organization whose mission is to support and empower women with inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease & ulcerative colitis) and/or ostomies through the building of sisterhood and self-esteem.

To learn more about Girls With Guts visit their website at www.girlswithguts.org or contact them at info@girlswithguts.org.

Episode Resources

Click here to apply for an I Gotta Go Card.

Click here for more information on the Philanthropic Ostomy Outreach Program (POOP).

Click here for more information on the Pen Pal Angel program.

Click here for more information on the Butt Basket Program. 

Click here to join the Girls With Guts Facebook Forum. 

Click here to join the Guts With Guts Teen Facebook Forum.

Click here for more information on the 2020 Girls With Guts Retreat. 

Click here to view the Girls With Guts Brochure.

On this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Kate Lawrence, MSN, RN, CWOCN, the Society’s Public Policy and Advocacy Coordinator, and Chris Rorick, MPH, the Society’s Director of Government Relations, who serve on the Society’s National Public Policy and Advocacy Committee. Kate and Chris provide updates on the WOCN Society’s current Public Policy and Advocacy activities, new resources and changes to the Society website, and current legislations related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information on the Society’s public policy and advocacy efforts, and to contact your legislator regarding current issues, please visit wocn.org/publicpolicy.

Episode Resources

Click here to view the WOCN Society’s Public Policy & Advocacy Home Page. 

Click here to view the WOCN Society’s Public Policy & Advocacy COVID-19 updates.

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

Click here to view more information on the Pressure Reducing Support Surfaces Prior Authorization.

Click here to send a message through the Votervoice platform.

Click here to view the Letter of Medical Necessity Template and other Tips & Templates for Contacting Your Legislators.

Click here to view the WOCN Society Advocacy and Grassroots Toolkit.

Click here to view contact information for the National Public Policy Liaisons.

Click here to view a list of other Healthcare Organizations.

Click here to view the WOCN Society Public Policy & Advocacy Health Care Agenda.

Click here to view the Deep Tissue Injury Coding Policy Reminder.

Click here to view the Public Policy & Advocacy Form. (members only)

On this special episode of WOCTalk we sit down with Alyssa Slabaugh NP-C, RN and Nila Reimer PhD, RN, CNE to speak about their upcoming session on telehealth at WOCNext 2020 Reimagined titled, “Telehealth Wound Applications: Barriers, Solutions, & Future Use”. Telehealth applications are an emerging technology in a new era of telemedicine within health care systems. Although telehealth technologies, are utilized by various members of the health care team, Nurse Practitioners utilize them for a variety of patients’ issues across healthcare settings. Listen in to learn more from two of our WOCNext 2020 Reimagined speakers and for a sneak peek of this session.

Want to learn more? Join us for WOCNext 2020 Reimagined live, June 5-7, and on-demand through June 21 for an online-only experience brought to you by the WOCN® Society. As an attendee of this reimagined event, you can expect to learn from experienced wound, ostomy and continence (WOC) nursing professionals, chat with over 60 exhibiting companies, view 100+ ePosters and boost your nursing skills all from the comfort of your home or office! Pre-register by 12pm on Friday June 5 for access to content through June 21.

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.

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.

In this special episode of WOCTalk we sit down with Dea Kent, DNP, RN, NP-C, CWOCN, President Elect for the WOCN Society, to discuss a new WOCN document titled, “Guidance for Maintaining Skin Health When Utilizing Protective Masks for Prolonged Time Intervals”.

Wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), especially masks, often causes skin injuries including moisture damage, friction and pressure. TheGuidance for Maintaining Skin Health When Utilizing Protective Masks for Prolonged Time Intervals document provides practical guidance to maintain skin integrity in the prolonged wear time of protective masks such as N-95 masks, surgical masks, face shields, and similar types of protective equipment. The head/face/cheek area of an individual are at highest risk. This document is the culmination of input from WOC nurses across the United States, each working to provide guidance for skin integrity issues being seen in this unprecedented time. Although it is not an evidence-based document, it does include best practices to help guide individuals towards mitigating and solving skin related issues involving PPE.

To view the document, along with other helpful COVID-19 resources for clinicians, visit 

wocn.org/covid19

.

The WOCN Society does not endorse or support products or services.

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 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.

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.

Click here to learn more about the Opening Keynote session, Getting Clarity: Identifying Your Strengths to Shape Your Impact

Click here to learn more about WOCNext

About the Speaker:

Debbie Peterson is a dynamic speaker and consultant who helps her audiences and clients make a bigger impact in their careers, businesses, and lives. Through her speaking and consulting business, Debbie travels the country, empowering professionals with the tools and strategies to go all in on who they are, what they do, and how they consistently show up to make a bigger impact in their leadership and life!

As a result of Debbie's programming, participants consistently report increased focus, momentum, and motivation to translate their vision into action. Her expertise is further showcased in the 'Getting to Clarity' Podcast, where Debbie offers invaluable insights and practical strategies to help busy leaders create more success in their leadership with less sacrifice in their lives.

In addition to her speaking and consulting business, Debbie is an accomplished author with her book Clarity: How Smart Professionals Create Career Success on Their Terms. She is a professional member of the National Speakers Association and proudly earned the Certified Speaking Professional Designation in 2023, an achievement earned by 17% of professional speakers worldwide. She is also a certified trainer of NeuroLinguistic Programming (NLP) and a student of Huna.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 two certified wound, ostomy continence nurses from Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health; Lisa Kirk, MSN, RN, CWOCN and Tim Luttrell, BSN, RN, CWOCN. Lisa and Tim co-authored an award-winning poster presented at WOCNext 2019 in Nashville titled, “The Use of a Low-Profile Gastrostomy Device to Enhance Malone Antegrade Continence Enema (MACE) Irrigation”. This co-authored poster earned Tim and Lisa a Merit Award in the Case Study category. 

A Malone Antegrade Continence Enema (MACE) is a type of surgery designed for the child with chronic bowel problems such as constipation or fecal incontinence. A tract is created into the large intestine to allow for daily irrigation of the colon to maintain continence. During this discussion, Tim and Lisa explain their nursing backgrounds, MACE procedures and the benefits of MACE irrigation, and the patient case that lead to the development of their poster. Listen in to learn more and discover the quality of life improvements MACE irrigation can provide to pediatric patients.

The abstract for this co-authored poster can be found by clicking here.

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 speak with Heather Lee Craven PhD, RN, CMSRN, CPHQ and Teresa Kelechi, PhD, GCNS, CWCN, FAAN of the Medical University of South Carolina about the process of bringing research to life through evidence-based practice. “Bridging Our Care from Research to Bedside” was originally presented at the Southeast Region of the WOCN Society conference in the Fall of 2019. In this episode, Dr. Craven and Dr. Kelechi discuss the content from this previous presentation and walk through the steps from forming a research team or panel, holding “think tank” research discussions and goal setting to the eventual outcome of bringing your research to life through evidence-based practice. Listen in to gain knowledge, tips and tricks to get started with your own evidence-based research project. 

To view a real-life example of how to apply the concepts covered in this episode, click here to view a video starring Dr. Craven, Dr. Kelechi and other members of the Medical University of South Carolina.

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.

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.

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.

Click here to view the article Skin failure: A historical perspective published in the American Nurse Journal.

Click here to view the article Skin Failure: An Emerging Concept published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association (JAMDA)

Click here to view the article Skin Fails Too: Acute, Chronic, and End-Stage Skin Failure published in Advances in Skin & Wound Care

About the Speakers:

Mario C. Giannettino is a partner in the law office of Kaufman Borgeest & Ryan, LLP in the firm's Medical Malpractice, Nursing Home and Long Care and General Litigation practice groups. Throughout his career, Mario has represented a wide range of healthcare professionals and providers, including residential healthcare and assisted living facilities, physicians, physician’s assistants, hospitals, and home healthcare agencies. In addition to defending suit from inception and through discovery, Mario also serves as a trial attorney. In addition to his litigation experience, Mario provides a broad spectrum of services to healthcare clients, including staff training, in-servicing, counseling on risk assessment issues, and assisting them in navigating privacy and security issues under both HIPAA and the HITECH Act.

Mario regularly publishes and speaks nationally on matters relating to all aspects of healthcare defense. During his career, he has been a featured author in The Risk Management Quarterly, McKnight’s and various other publications. Mario frequently speaks nationally at healthcare events and workshops and has presented on issues such as the impact of artificial intelligence on healthcare, the CMS Five-Star Rating System, the proliferation of arbitration agreements in healthcare and many other topical concerns. In addition to being licensed to practice law in both New York State and Connecticut, Mario serves as supervisory/monitoring counsel for residential health care facilities nationwide.

Heidi Cross is a certified Wound and Ostomy Nurse, as well as a nurse practitioner from the Syracuse NY area. She has worked in acute care and is a wound consultant for long term care facilities, currently working for the University of Rochester Strong Memorial Hospital and CNY Physicians of Central New York. She has been published in multiple wound and ostomy journals and is a member of the WOCN® Society and the American Association of Wound Care, among other organizations. She has extensively reviewed legal cases related to wound care for both defense as well as plaintiff attorneys and comes with a wealth of experience and information related to litigation and wound care.

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.

Today’s WOCTalk podcast topic was suggested by one of our WOCN members! During this episode we sit down with Karen O’Brien, CWOCN, from the Cleveland Clinic Main Campus in Cleveland, OH. Karen is part of an experienced nursing team that has been awarded the best nursing team in the entire Cleveland Clinical Nursing System twice in the last five years. Listen to this episode to learn about the Kock Pouch surgical procedure, more commonly referred to as “continent ileal reservoir”, “Barnett pouch”, and “K-pouch”, and to learn about the types of patients that are appropriate candidates for this procedure, surgical complications, and the role the WOC nurse plays in assessing and treating people living with K-pouches in both inpatient and outpatient settings, and tips for people living with K-pouches.

If you think you'd be a good guest for an upcoming episode, if you have a topic idea to share with us, or if you would like your questions or issues addressed in an upcoming episode of WOCTalk, send an email to podcast@wocn.org.

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.

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.

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!

Healthcare is a highly regulated industry at both the professional and payer levels. The WOCN Society is committed to advancing legislative activity that promotes the benefits of wound, ostomy and continence (WOC) nurse involvement related to pressure injuries, acute and chronic wounds, ostomy and continence care. The Society is actively engaged in state and federal public policy and advocacy efforts to help healthcare become economically viable, and to promote the value of WOC nurses across all healthcare settings.

In this episode, we talk with Kate Lawrence, MSN, RN, CWOCN, the Society’s Public Policy and Advocacy Coordinator, and Chris Rorick, MPH, the Society’s Director of Government Relations, who serve on the Society’s National Public Policy and Advocacy Committee. Kate and Chris discuss the important role that public policy plays within the Society, and resources that members can use as guides to advocate for themselves, for their profession and for their patients. They also discuss the diligent process of how the Committee works to identify important issues, create action plans and aim to get bills passed.

For more information on the Society’s public policy and advocacy efforts, and to contact your legislator regarding current issues, please visit wocn.org/publicpolicy.

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.

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.

Despite recent advances in multiple areas of continence management including pharmacotherapy, surgery, physiotherapy, and neuromodulation, evidence suggests that use of incontinence products remains the most prevalent strategy among adults with urinary or fecal incontinence. To address this gap, the WOCN Society developed an evidence- and consensus-based algorithm for selection, use, and evaluation of body worn absorbent products for the management of individuals with urinary and/or fecal incontinence—The Body Worn Absorbent Product Guide. This new clinical tool is a blend of evidence-based decision making with best practice modes designed to help to fill the gap in resources available for first-line and WOC specialty practice nurses guiding optimal use of BWAPs. In this episode of WOCTalk, we sit down with Mikel Gray, PhD, RN, PNP, FNP, CUNP, CCCN, FAANP, FAAN to discuss BWAPs, the WOCN Society’s Consensus Conference on BWAPs and the Society’s newest decision-making tool, the Body Worn Absorbent Product Guide.

To learn more about the development of this new tool, we invite you to read the article, “Assessment, Selection, Use, and Evaluation of Body Worn Absorbent Products for Adults With Incontinence: A WOCN Society Consensus Conference”, published in the Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing (JWOCN): May/June 2018 - Volume 45 - Issue 3 - p 243–264.

To start implementing this tool into your daily practice, visit bwap.wocn.org

The Body Worn Absorbent Product Guide was funded through an educational grant from Domtar.

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.

Click here for everything you need to know about places to visit and things to see in Cleveland, including access to the Cleveland Experience Passports.

Click here to learn about exhibits and tours at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Purchase a ticket for the WOCNext 2024 WOC n Roll Welcome Party taking place at the Rock Hall on Saturday, June 8.

Click here to book a Cleveland walking tour.

Click here to book a Cleveland food tour.

Click here to book a water tour on the Good Time III, and click here to book a water tour on the Lady Caroline.

Click here to learn about Cleveland Lakefront Bikeway trails.

Click here to learn about the Westside Market.

Click here to learn about University Circle which includes the free Cleveland Museum of Art, historical landmarks, parks and gardens, and more.

Click here to learn about the Cleveland Botanical Garden.

Click here to learn about Edgewater Park & Beach located on Lake Erie.

Click here to learn about the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH.

Click here to learn about Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, OH.

About the Speaker:

Nick Urig is a Senior Communications Manager for Destination Cleveland and leads the leisure and meetings/conventions public relations initiatives.

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.

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

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.