The deadlines to apply for the Fall Cohort of both our Skin Wellness Associate Nurse (SWAN™) Program and NSWOC® (WOC-EP) Program are only one week away! Become a wound, ostomy, and continence champion and nurse leader.
Learn more about each program below.
Skin Wellness Associate Nurse (SWANâ„¢) Program
For practical nurses and diploma RNs who aspire to become respected nurse leaders and integral members of their organization’s wound, ostomy, and continence leadership team, the CNA-accredited Skin Wellness Associate Nurse (SWAN™) Program is the only program in Canada that offers: competency and evidence-informed advanced knowledge in wound, ostomy and continence management; confidence to transfer that knowledge into practice; recognition and respect for your competencies through the nationally recognized SWAN™ designation; and continuous learning and lifelong support through mentorship and collaboration in a SWAN™-Nurse Specialized in Wound, Ostomy and Continence (NSWOC) team.
​
SWANâ„¢s are uniquely recognized for their advanced knowledge and their contributions as wound, ostomy and continence nurse champions in their workplaces and communities across Canada.
NSWOC® Program (WOC-EP)
The WOC Institute’s flagship program is our NSWOC Program (originally called the Wound Ostomy and Continence Education Program or WOC-EP). The NSWOC Program is a state of the art, paced, 12-month, online program which prepares BN/BScN’s for the role of a Nurse Specialized in Wound, Ostomy and Continence (NSWOC®). RN applicants who hold a bachelor’s degree in another area are also eligible to apply for the program. The final exam for the program is the Canadian Nurses Associate (CNA) certification exam, which, upon achievement, enables the NSWOC to use the credential WOCC(C). NSWOCs are sources of specialized knowledge for interdisciplinary health care teams, best practice and protocol development, research, and more. The NSWOC graduate leads Wound, Ostomy and Continence teams, including SWAN and Skin Health graduates, and has the knowledge, skills, and judgement to manage complex patient issues in the areas of Wounds, Ostomy and Continence.