sharpening your tools for the cutting edge
TRANSCRIPT
Marketing the Gold Standard: Educating Others About WOCNCB Certification
Mikel Gray, PhD, CCCN, FAANP, FAAN
Objectives Define (or redefine) specialty practice
certification in nursing Communicate the unique benefits of
WOCNCB certification* Identify key marketing points to justify
& support your position as a certified nurse*
Discuss methods for marketing your value as a certified nurse*
* Defined by WOCNCB
Certification: What is it? POP QUIZ: Which of the following reflects
an accurate application of Laplace's Law to compression therapy for LEVD? A. Adding layers to a compression bandage
increases sub-bandage pressure B. Increasing bandage width decreases sub-
bandage pressures. C. A larger leg circumference decreases sub-
bandage pressure. Increasing tension elevates sub-bandage
pressure.
Certification: What is it?
Certification: What is it? Slide 1 is about the anxiety provoking
process of testing to earn the credential
Slide 2 is about the process of documenting evidence of professional growth and ongoing education to maintain the credential
Certification goes far beyond both of these processes….
Certification Online Dictionary: the state of being
certified, a certificate that attests the truth of a statement or event1
Online Medical Dictionary: adherence to a set of standards defined by non-governmental society or association; certification is achieved on a voluntary basis, and it represents a professional status when achieved
1. Online Dictionary: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/certification 2. Online Medical Dictionary: http://cancerweb.ncl.ac.uk/cgi-bin/omd?query=certification
Certification Fulfills multiple purposes, but two are
considered primary and essential1 Protect the public by setting standards for
the individual’s knowledge/ experience/ skills against a benchmark of accepted standards
Meet needs of key stakeholders*: certified nurses, nurse colleagues and trans-disciplinary colleagues
1. Woods DK. Journal of Nursing Administration 2002; 32(7/8): 379.
Certification: Additional Benefits Recognition of specialty practice
within facility, regionally and nationally1
Criterion for promoting via clinical ladder
Financial benefits (some facilities) Fosters enlarged role of certified
nurse; especially in the area of clinical leadership
1. ANCC online: http://www.nursecredentialing.org/cert/certfaqs.html
Certification vs Licensure
Licensure provides legal basis for practice and defines scope of practice
Certification reflects achievement beyond that required for licensure; unique features: It is voluntary It is regulated by professional societies (not
the government) It is equated with a standard of practice
above ‘minimum’ required for licensure
Value of Certification: Consumer Perspective
Consumer perspective Patients and their families increasingly want to
know – are you qualified to perform care for me or my family member?1
1999 ANCC survey: 33% more confident when care for by certified nurse; 16% aware that nurses could be certified in a specialty area2
2002 Harris Poll: 75% wanted to receive care from certified nurse; 90% aware of specialty certification for nurses3
1. Mason DJ. American Journal of Nursing 2001; 110(1):7. 2. URL: http://www.nursingworld.org/pressrel/1999/pr0507.htm. 3. Hams Interactive Inc. AACN Survey. November 2002
Value of Certification as Perceived by Certified Nurses (n=19,423)
Recognized as expert by colleagues 39%
Credential recognized or publicized 32%
Recompense for associated costs 28%
Advancement potential (adds to professional portfolio*)
21%
Cary A. American Journal of Nursing 2001; 101(1): 44.
Realized Benefits of Certification (n=18,385)
Satisfaction as a professional nurse 67%
More effective resource to staff 39%
Serve as consultant within facility 22%
Competence in specialty skills 65%
Satisfaction/ Confidence in decision-making
56%
Perception as a credible specialty provider 56%
Value of Certification: Administrator’s Perspective AONE commissioned study found that
certification associated with job satisfaction & retention1
ANCC commissioned study supports greater skill competency and ↓ risk of iatrogenic error and harm among certified nurses2
2 studies comparing certified and non-certified nurses in skill-related knowledge3 and skill performance4 favored certified nurses
1. Woods DK. Journal of Nursing Administration 2002; 32(7/8): 379. 2. Critical Care Nurse Focus Study Group. TNS Market Development, 2000. 3. Practice Guidelines for Pulmonary Artery Catheterization. 2003. 4. Redd ML, Alexander JW. Nursing Management 1997; 30: 45.
Strategies for Marketing Yourself as a WOCNCB
Certified Nurse Identify and communicate the unique value
of WOCNCB certification Evaluate your competitors Identify your market – who are your
Customers and who are your Clients? Determine patient needs and measure
satisfaction with your services Document your contributions to your facility
Liguori R. Journal of Pediatric Health Care 2005; 19: 407.
Marketing Yourself as WOCNCB Certified
Communicate your credential and scope of practice: CWOCN Wound Care Assessment
• Identify etiologic and contributing factors and their effect on healing
• Apply TIME or DIME conceptual frameworks• Evaluate and manage wound pain• Assess impact of factors on wound healing (eg:
bacterial bioburden, systemic disorders, depression) • Differential diagnosis
Resource utilization: specialty dressings, specialty beds, pressure redistribution devices, negative pressure wound therapies
Marketing Yourself as WOCNCB Certified
Communicate your credential and scope of practice: CWOCN Wound Care: Prevention & Management of
the most difficult to heal & costly wounds• Pressure ulcers (resource for CMS changes)• Lower Extremity Ulcers• Non-healing surgical wounds• Catastrophic traumatic wounds• Neoplastic wounds• Atypical wounds
Marketing Yourself as WOCNCB Certified
Communicate your credential and scope of practice: CWOCN Ostomy Care
• Historic heart of WOC specialty practice• Stoma site marking (WOCN-ASCRS position,
WOCN-AUA to follow)• Pre- and postsurgical counseling, customized
to patient readiness and facility • Discharge teaching and patient hand-off• New and existing ostomy management
Marketing Yourself as WOCNCB Certified
Communicate your credential and scope of practice: CWOCN Ostomy Management
• Urinary and fecal continent diversions• Fecal and urinary orthotopic diversions (IPAA,
orthotopic neobladders)• Management of abdominal fistulae; good
example of interrelationships among principles of WOC nursing
Resource utilization: ostomy supplies, supplies for managing abdominal fistulae
Marketing Yourself as WOCNCB Certified
Communicate your credential and scope of practice: CWOCN Continence Management: 2 levels not yet
entirely articulated; strengths unevenly recognized by CWOCN• Comprehensive management involves UI, FI
and IAD (another interrelationship)• UI, FI containment (pads, wrap-around briefs,
underpads for beds)• Temporary urinary diversion via indwelling
catheter (resource for CMS policy changes and balance between IDC and PU prevention)
Marketing Yourself as WOCNCB Certified
Communicate your credential and scope of practice: CWOCN Continence Management
• Temporary diversion of stool via bowel or fecal management systems
• Counseling about options for long-term management and identification of appropriate referral sources
Marketing Yourself as WOCNCB Certified
Communicate your credential and scope of practice: CWCN Wound Care Assessment Resource Utilization Prevention & Management Emphasize your particular expertise as well
• Conservative sharp wound debridement • Negative pressure wound therapy techniques• Draining wounds and fistulae• Non-healing or indolent wounds • Atypical and complex wounds
Marketing Yourself as WOCNCB Certified
Communicate your credential and scope of practice: COCN Stoma site marking, counseling, counseling Continent urinary and fecal diversions IPAA and other orthotopic bowel procedures,
orthotopic neobladders Resource utilization
Emphasize in-depth knowledge, including role in managing short- and long-term stomal and peristoma complications, associated diseases (colorectal cancer, bladder cancer, etc).
Marketing Yourself as WOCNCB Certified
Communicate your credential and scope of practice: CCCN
• Comprehensive management of UI, FI and IAD• Containment • Temporary urinary diversion (IDC, B/F MS)• Assessment of chronic/ established UI/ FI• Behavioral and lifestyle interventions• Toileting schedule manipulation including
habit training/ retraining• Pelvic floor muscle training
Marketing Yourself as WOCNCB Certified
Communicate your credential and scope of practice: CFCN Holistic health assessment focusing in foot health Physical examination including vascular,
temperature, sensations of foot Evaluate risk profile and assess adequacy of
footwear Skin and nail care Education and referral
Excellent adjunctive certification for CWCN, as well as CDE
Marketing Yourself as WOCNCB Certified
WOC and Advanced Practice Nursing AP credentials (NP, CNS) provide value
added benefits to W/O/C certification Consider adding AP portfolio to your
certification when AP nursing education completed
Emphasize potential for reimbursement (esp NP), enhanced autonomy in outpatient & inpatient consultations, prescriptive authority, potential as source of independent patient referrals
Communicate the unique quality of your WOCNCB Certification
3 standard elements Credential earned through combination of
didactic knowledge and focused skill acquisition (preceptor supervised plus independent experience)
Maintain and update knowledge & skills through formal re-certification process
Credential legally defensible; testing psychometrically sound, re-certification process transparent and fair
CWCN/ CWOCN vs Other ‘C’s’
WOCNCB NAWC AAWM (CWS)
Accredited by NCCA, ABNS
No external accreditation
Accredited by
NCCA
240 didactic hrs,120 precepted
Active in wound care + 5 day seminar
BS or higher, 3 yrs in wound care
Reexamination or PGP
Reexamination, CE, Community outreach, fee plus course
Self-assessment examination every 10 yrs
URL: http://www.wocncb.org/ updated 4/21/2008
COCN/ CWOCN vs Other ‘C’s’
WOCNCB All Others
Accredited by NCCA, ABNS 240 didactic hrs,120 precepted Reexamination or PGP URL: http://www.nursing2007.com/pt/pt-core/template-journal/nursing/media/cert.htm
CCCN/ CWOCN vs Other ‘C’s’
WOCNCB All Others
Accredited by NCCA, ABNS 240 didactic hrs,120 precepted Reexamination or PGP URL: http://www.nursing2007.com/pt/pt-core/template-journal/nursing/media/cert.htm
Communicate the quality of your WOCNCB Certification: WOCNCB Brochures
Marketing Brochure for Facility/ Administrators Brief description of WOCNCB Why certification matters 2 studies supporting overall
value of certification 1 study suggesting ↓ risk of
malpractice filing 1 study providing evidence
that certified nurse achieve better wound outcomes than non-certified nurse
Communicate the quality of your WOCNCB Certification: Use the WOCNCB Brochures
Marketing Brochure for Facility/ Administrators Certified nurses associated
with better retention than non-certified nurses
WOCNCB certification is psychometrically sound and legally defensible (based on criteria established by NCCA and ABNS)
Communicate Key Research Findings
“Rules” of the game Focus is on identifying key points Look for bulleted points to bolster your
argument Use only verifiable, published data Less emphasis on weaknesses of
research methods than systematic or highly academic reviews
Communicate Key Research Findings WOCNCB Certified Nurses have better
clinical outcomes that non-certified nurses Retrospective (“real world”) review of 519
patients admitted to 5 home health agencies revealed that 78.5% of wounds managed by WOCNCB certified nurses healed as compared to 36.3% of non-certified nurses
Arnold M, Weir D. Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing 1994; 21(4): 126.
Communicate Key Research Findings
WOCNCB Certified Nurses act as resources for non-certified nurses to improve patient outcomes WOCNCB Certified nurses achieved faster
wound healing and reduced home visits by 50% using a telemedicine system
Kobza L, Scheurich A. Ostomy Wound Management 2000;45(10):48.
Communicate Key Research Findings
Other key points Nurse managers recognize that hiring
certified nurses seen as exerting positive impact on patient care and safety1
Hospitals who hire more board certified nurses tend to have reduced malpractice suits, resulting in rebates on insurance rates2
1. Stromborg MF et al. Nursing Management 2005; 36(5): 36. 2. Trossman S. American Journal of Nursing 2002; 102(5): 71.
Communicate Key Research Findings
Canadian based certified WOC (ET) nurses achieved faster and more cost effective wound healing than non-certified nurses The greatest differences were seen when the ET
nurse was directly involved in delivering wound care
Statistically significant and clinically relevant differences were seen even when ET nurses were indirectly involved in patient management
Harris C, Shannon R. Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing 2008; 35(2): 169.
Evaluate competitors Assess formal competitors within your
facility, within other facilities, and from different settings
Identify informal competitors; those offering WOC services without certifications or formal credentials
Can competitors become allies? Partners in delivering care? Supplements to your practice or can you function to supplement their practice?
Identify your Market Customers vs Clients
Your clients are your patients – those who require and benefit from our direct services
Your customers are those who provide you with clients, for the WOCNCB certified nurse, they are often surgeons, other physicians, AP and influential staff nurses
Evaluate and Meet Patient (client) Needs
Routinely measure patient/ client satisfaction
Encourage patients to communicate with key decision makers whenever possible
Establish and nurture key client relationships within bounds of professionalism when indicated
Provide Family & Patients with WOCNCB Expert Care Brochure
Defines what board certification mens in broad term
Traces origins of WOCNCB to 1978
Lists possible certification credentials
Speaks directly to patient & family as consumers
Provide Family & Patients with WOCNCB Expert Care Brochure
Nice description of WOCNCB certified nurses as: Clinical experts Treatment specialists Health educators Experienced and
knowledgeable care providers Summarizes research bullet
points noted on general marketing brochure
clinical expertise• Better clinical outcomes likelihood of medical errors
Please check which of the following services I provided to you:
Wound Care Ostomy Care Continence Care Foot CarePlease check which customer type best describes you:
Physician Nurse Insurance Company DMERC Other(specify)
WOCNCN Evaluation Form
URL: http://www.wocncb.org/pdf/satisfaction_profsurvey.pdf
WOCNCB Evaluation Form
On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest, please evaluate my performance on thefollowing. Please circle the appropriate number.
Knowledgeable 1 2 3 4 5 N/AAssess needs appropriately 1 2 3 4 5 N/APerforms patient care appropriately 1 2 3 4 5 N/AMaintains caring attitude toward patients 1 2 3 4 5 N/AInnovative problem solver 1 2 3 4 5 N/AProfessional 1 2 3 4 5 N/ACommunicates well 1 2 3 4 5 N/AResponds in a timely manner 1 2 3 4 5 N/ACompletes documents accurately 1 2 3 4 5 N/AOverall performance rating 1 2 3 4 5 N/A
Document Your Contributions to Facility
Differentiate being busy from productive Measure only highly select indicators of
productivity Maintain productivity database (even if you
do not keep a clinical or research database) Learn and use language that non-clinical
(business) administrators can relate to…even if you are not allowed to bill directly for these services
Conclusions Board certification is more than passing an
examination; it is a combination of education, skill acquisition and ongoing vigilance
WOCNCB certification is a rigorous & legally defensible board certification accurately recognized as the gold standard for WOC nursing
Every acute care facility, every long-term care facility, every home-care facility, every major university department needs one or more of these key players