Certification FAQs
Is an accredited wound care certification educational program the same as an accredited wound care certification?
No. Accredited wound care certification educational programs are accredited to provide continuing education for the course.
Accredited wound care certification programs are accredited to provide the certification exam and credential. It is essential that both the certification course and the certification exam are accredited.
Which wound care certification programs are currently accredited?
Two organizations that currently offer formally recognized accredited certifications in wound care:
- The American Board of Wound Management (ABWM)
Wound certifications offered: CWCA, CWS, CWSP - The Wound Ostomy Continence Nursing Certification Board (WOCNCB)
Wound certifications offered: CWCN
Non-accredited Wound Care Certification Programs and Certificate of Completion Courses
Wound care certification and certificate services offered by other organizations may be non-accredited certifications or merely certificates of completion, which can be mistaken for an accredited wound care certification. Two examples are:
- National Alliance of Wound Care and Ostomy (NAWCO)
Wound certifications offered: WCC - VOHRA Wound Physicians
It should be noted that both the ABWM and the WOCNCB accredited wound care certifications differentiate educational levels, while other organizations that offer non-accredited certifications and certificates of completion present the same testing level for each test, whether the individual is a licensed practical nurse (LPN), registered nurse (RN), Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), or medical doctor (MD).
What does accreditation of wound care certification programs mean?
Accreditation of wound care certification programs provides impartial, third-party validation that the program has met recognized national and international credentialing industry standards for development, implementation, and maintenance of certification programs.
Certifying programs may earn accreditation only after extensive review by an external, independent accrediting body. Importantly, in order to qualify for accreditation, the certification exam must be independent of a specific class, course or other educational training program and also be independent of any provider of classes, courses, or programs.
What is the difference between a certificate program and a certification program?
According to ICE – the Institute for Credentialing Excellence, (formerly NOCA, the National Organization for Competency Assurance) accrediting standards, a “certificate program” is a non-degree granting program that:
- Provides a course of instruction with intended learning outcomes.
- Evaluates participants’ achievement of those same learning outcomes via an examination.
- Awards a certificate ONLY to those who have taken that specific course and passed that specific examination.
The purpose of this kind of certificate program is to educate participants, and the examination is used as a mirror to show students their progress toward learning those specific outcomes.
A professional certification program is a non-governmental program that does two things:
- Delivers an assessment based on industry knowledge, independent from training courses or course providers.
- Grants a time-limited credential to anyone who meets the assessment standards.
In some cases, a certification examination may be used as a component of either state or national licensure.
As the standard explains, it is the role of TRAINING and its relationship to credentialing that sets these two types of credentials apart.
What is considered three years of clinical experience?
According to the ABWM, three years of wound care experience can be acquired over the course of your career. It does not necessarily have to be a consecutive three years. Wound care does not have to be your primary responsibility during that time, as long as you can demonstrate you have had roles related to wound care throughout your career.
What if I don’t have enough experience to sit for the board certification exam?
Not enough experience…no problem. Take our wound care certification course and receive your wound care certificate for accredited continuing education hours. When you have the required experience to sit for the certification exam, come back on the course for no additional charge (within a 3-year period).
Course FAQs
What is the requirement to enroll in the Wound Care Certification Course?
Anyone may enroll in this course; however, only students meeting wound certification criteria are eligible to take the certification examinations.
How long will I have login access to the online modules?
Course access is granted for 6 months.
If I fail the certification examination will there be a fee to retake the course?
NO! The WoundEducators.com “Until You Pass!” Risk-Free Guarantee ensures that your training investment lasts. All product and course purchases are covered by our commitment to you and your success. Simply provide us with proof that you took the wound certification examination and did not pass and have re-registered for the exam and we will continue your online course access.
How long does it generally take to complete the course?
The Wound Certification Course will take approximately 50-60 hours to complete (depending on which course your take). However, each student progresses at his/her own pace, so individual completion times may vary.
What is the cost of the course?
The fee for the Wound Care Certification Courses range between $797-$897 (depending on which course your take). This includes the online course, post-course test, continuing education certificate and home study kit. The fee does not include the certification examination.
Do you offer customized competency training for organizations?
Yes. Customized online training is available to meet the needs of your organization. Please contact sales to discuss your needs: sales@woundeducators.com
Continuing Education FAQs
How do I know if a continuing education activity is accepted by my state board?
See individual courses for details.
How much continuing education credit is provided with the Wound Care Certification Course?
50 – 60 CE/CME credit hours are provided. See individual courses for details.
Financial FAQs
Do you offer financial aid?
No. At this time we do not offer financial aid for our courses. However, many employers support continuing education and may be willing to assist with course fees. If you would like information to provide to your employer please contact us.
Do you accept partial payment?
No. Once you register for our course you will be granted login information for the entire course. You will also receive our Wound Management training kit which includes all course material. For this reason we are unable to accept partial payment.
Do you offer group discounts?
Discounts are provided for group registrations. Please contact sales to discuss your needs:sales@woundeducators.com.
Technical FAQs
What are the system requirements to view the Wound Management Training Course?
Flash
Flash Player 10 or later (http://www.adobe.com/go/getflash) (Flash Player 7 or later recommended), and one of the following browsers:
- Windows: Internet Explorer 6 and later, Firefox 1.x and later, Safari 3 and later, Google Chrome, Opera 9.5 and later.
- Macintosh: Firefox 1.x and later, Safari 3 and later,Google Chrome.
- Linux: Firefox 1.x and later.
HTML5
- Windows: Google Chrome 29 or later
- Mac: Safari 6.0.5 or later, Google Chrome 29 or later
- Mobile: Safari in Apple iOS 6 or later
