Introducing the Wound Treatment Associate WTA Program What

Introducing the Wound Treatment Associate (WTA) Program

What is the WTA Program? • A WOCN® Society endorsed wound care educational program developed to meet the growing need for skilled wound care providers across all care settings. • Evidence-based continuing education course that meets international standards of care and prepares participants for the WTA-C certification. • Online course with comprehensive hands-on training and testing.

Developed by Industry Leaders This program was developed by the WTA Development Committee: • Dorothy Doughty, MN, RN, CWOCN, FAAN, WTA Committee Chair • Phyllis Kupsick, MSN, FNP-BC, CWOCN, Board Liaison • Phyllis Bonham, Ph. D, MSN, RN, CWOCN, DPNAP, FAAN, WOCN Past President, Ex Officio • Cheryl Bowling, BSN, RN, CWOCN • Commander David Crumbley, MSN, RN, CWCN • Bonny Flemister, MSN, RN, CWOCN, ANP, GNP-BC • Lieutenant Commander Tracey Giles, BSN, RN • Barbara List, BSN, RN, CWOCN • Sharon Saim, MSN, RN, ARNP-C, CWCN • Lindsay Sears, BSN, RN • Brooke Passy, CMP, Associate Meeting Manager • Dorothy Caputo, MA, BSN, RN, Director of Education

Goals of the WTA Program • Provide non-WOC certified nurses, wound care providers and medics/corpsmen with high-level wound care education. • Improve and strengthen wound care teams and support the WOC nurse. • Offer a flexible education program for a variety of settings: üHospitals üHealth care system settings üHome health settings üMilitary

Unique Abilities of a WTA Participant • Implement preventative care per established protocols. • Implement treatment plans established by the supervising APRN, WOC nurse or physician. • Monitor wounds and the patient’s response to the established plan. • Explore opportunities for collaborative practice and professional leadership in wound care.

Why You Should Implement the WTA Program in Your Facility • Your staff will have improved wound assessment skills. • Your staff will help improve patient outcomes. • Your staff will extend the services of the WOC specialty nurse. • Your staff will facilitate clearer documentation to meet regulatory guidelines. • Your staff will earn continuing education credit hours: nurses earn 32. 25 contact hours upon completion of the program, and physical therapists and PTAs earn 21 CCUs.

Investment Worth Making • Flat fee of $2, 500 for a two-year license. • Additional $150 fee person for up to 100 participants. Each participant receives a workbook. • There is no limit to the number of times the course can be offered during that 2 -year time frame as long as the number of participants does not exceed 100. • Patients who are cared for by WOC nurses have better outcomes in terms of healing rates and/or costs of care compared to patients cared for by other nurses. * üWTA participants are taught by WOC nurses. * Arnold & Weir, 1994; Bolton et al. , 2004; Harris, & Shannon, 2008; Peirce, Tiffany, Kinsey, & Link, 2008.

Empower Your WOC Nurse • As an educator, consultant, researcher and administrator, the WOC nurse plays a pivotal role in providing optimal patient care in multiple health care settings, including inpatient, outpatient, long-term care and home health. * • The WTA Program allows your WOC nursing staff to effectively and efficiently deliver continuing education by utilizing online technology, guided learning activities and competency testing. * WOCN® Society-WOCNCB®, 2008

Enhance Your Wound Care Team • Providing your non-specialty wound care providers with basic wound training will help your wound care team achieve better outcomes. • After completing the WTA Program, the wound treatment associate will: üReceive a certificate of completion. üBe prepared to function as an integral and valuable member of your wound care team. üBe prepared to assist with daily patient monitoring, pressure injury prevention and wound management. üBe prepared to obtain the WTA-C credential.

Access the WTA Program Become a Course Coordinator: • If you are a CWCN, CWON or CWOCN and a current/active member of the WOCN Society, you may apply to become a Course Coordinator. üIf you do not meet this criteria, ask the WOC nurse(s) at your facility to apply to be a Course Coordinator. • Once approved, the Course Coordinator will have 30 days to purchase a license and choose up to 100 participants to complete the program.

Visit: wocn. org/wtaprogram Email: wta@wocn. org Call: 888 -224 -9626