Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurse – Career and Education Profile
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Nurses who work in the field of wound, ostomy and continence (WOC) nursing deal with patients who have wounds, which are often chronic.
Job Responsibilities
The type of tasks you’ll do on a daily basis depend on the specific patients you’re seeing and their medical conditions. In general, you’ll treat and assess wounds, which could include skin conditions, bedsores, abscesses, wounds from feeding tubes, surgical incisions, and more. as the name implies, this field of nursing also deals with patients who have bowl and bladder problems. Along with providing care, some of the tasks you could do include recording vital signs, tracking patient progress, educating the patient on home care, and speaking with family members about treatment options. Pain management is also an important part of WOC nursing, and you’ll have to continuously look for infection so it can be treated as quickly as possible.
Salary and Career Options
As a WOC nurse, your salary will depend on your level of education, location, employer, and experience. In general, RNs in this field make about $60,000, but you can earn more if you become an advance practice nurse. You can also consider becoming a legal nurse consultant after you’ve gained experience in this field, as many cases deal with allegations of nursing home abuse evident by bedsores, wounds that are the result of assault, and more.
Educational Requirements
WOC nurses can get started as LPNs, though many employers are more interested in hiring RNs for this job, as you’ll have more advanced education in the field. After earning your RN certification and either going through a dedication WOC nursing program or working in the field for several months, you can apply for certification as a WOC nurses from the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing Certification Board; the National Alliance of Wound Care; or the American Academy of Wound Management.
LPN to RN College Programs
While several schools have online nursing degrees available, few offer LPN to RN programs. What's the good news? We have listed some accredited schools below that do offer the program in addition to schools with other bridge programs available. Find out more information and contact each school by using any of the links below.
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Indiana State University—Indiana State University offers a robust online program designed for LPNs wanting to become registered nurses and earn their BSN degree. Since ISU's credits transfer to over 80 campus majors, this is an ideal program for people wanting to open opportunities for their career down the road. |
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The College Network—The College Network is a partnership with several universities and organizations like the National League for Nursing that focuses on online education and programs, with several courses for nurses or those interested in a nursing career. Specifically, TCN helps students prepare for their PN and RN licensures and move on to earn graduate degrees. |
Other Nursing Degrees
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Walden University—Walden University is typically a graduate school with several masters and doctoral programs available, but they do have BSN and RN to MSN bridge programs available. Walden is based out of Minneapolis and offers several options in transferring your previously earned credits to and from (or even within) the school. |
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Kaplan University—Kaplan University is one of the nation's largest and leading online educators and offers several bridge programs for registered nurses to earn their BSN or MSN degree. If you have previously earned credits, Kaplan makes it easy for you to transfer to any one of their undergraduate or graduate programs. |
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Herzing University—While Herzing University does not offer an undergraduate nursing degree, it is a great choice for working nurses wanting to pursue leadership positions in Nurse Education or Management. With over 10 campuses and 45 online programs available, Herzing has a massive network that makes it easy to transfer to or from the school. |
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