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YEAR IN REVIEW
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WOCN SOCIETY 2021 YEAR IN REVIEW
LETTER FROM
the President
To our valued members, On behalf of the Board of Directors, I first and foremost would like to extend my deepest appreciation and heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you for the care and support you give to your patients, colleagues, and the WOC nursing specialty each day, year after year. As healthcare professionals on the frontlines, each of our limits have been tested at various moments; and 2021 was yet another year full of challenges and adversity for so many of us. As an organization comprised of WOC nurses just like you, we know how easy it can be to lose sight of the tremendous impact you make on a daily basis, especially during these trying times. Whether you are the only WOC nurse in your facility or on a team of many, in 2021 WOCN made it our mission to make sure you were seen, heard, and continually challenged to understand the lasting impact you have made and continue to make on the lives of those you serve. At the Society’s leadership level, I am proud to say that we have channeled the strength and resiliency of our fellow WOC nursing colleagues and healthcare heroes across the world to help us overcome various obstacles over this past year. Because of this, we were able to implement a number of programs, resources, and educational tools for our members and the greater healthcare community to enjoy, learn from, and immediately put into practice. I’m honored to provide you with the following special highlights of what we’ve been able to accomplish together as a community amidst this continually trying time. Each initiative in this 2021 Year in Review would not have come to fruition without the efforts put forth by you, our valued members, who continue to lend your time, expertise and voice to advance our specialty practice on behalf of individuals with wound, ostomy, and continence care needs. As another year of significant challenges and change comes to a close, I ask you to join me in reflecting on the impact that our accomplishments, care, and specialty practice have made for those we served throughout the year. May these bright moments continue to provide you with inspiration, resilience, and courage to tackle the year ahead. Wishing you and your loved ones a happy and healthy 2022! Sincerely,
Dea Kent, DNP, RN, NP-C, CWOCN WOCN Society President
WOCN SOCIETY 2021 YEAR IN REVIEW
2022 A Global Education Event from WOCN® and WCET® IN-PERSON & ONLINE JUNE 5-8
WOCNEXT® 2021
WOCNEXT® 2022
WOCNext® 2021: A Virtual WOW Experience with the WOCN® Society and Relias served as the education event for both the Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurses SocietyTM (WOCN®) and Relias and joined WOCNext and Wild on Wounds (WOW) event attendees together for one BIG event!
WOCNext® 2022 is a global, hybrid event from WOCN® and WCET® and the annual conference for both organizations! Members and non-members from around the world are invited to celebrate diversity and gain perspectives that will advance the practice and delivery of wound, ostomy, and continence care. All education, networking, and activities are available in-person in Fort Worth, TX, or virtually, providing a complete WOCNext experience for healthcare professionals near and far.
This unique online experience brought WOCNext® and WOW attendees, and other healthcare professionals together for one BIG event filled with an all-star lineup of speakers and 60+ exhibiting companies for 2 1/2 days of interactive education and engaging networking! We were proud to provide on-demand access to the entire event’s content and education through December 31.
Mark your calendars! Sunday, June 5, 2022 – Wednesday, June 8, 2022, online and in-person at Fort Worth, TX. Visit wocnext.org to learn more.
WOC NURSE WEEK 2021 WOC Nurse Week 2021 empowered WOC nurses to shine bright, reflect on, and celebrate the impact they make in the lives of those that surround them each and every day. As educators, researchers, leaders, experts, and caregivers, each WOC nurse has a unique set of skills that allow them to make a world of difference in the lives of individuals who suffer from non-healing wounds, ostomies, and urinary and fecal incontinence.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM WOC NURSE WEEK 2021:
The WOC Nurse Week page on wocn.org was viewed 2,500+ times from 33 different countries
The WOC Nurse Week digital toolkit was downloaded 1,000+ times
WOC Nurse Week 2021 was commercially supported by a restricted educational grant from Medela.
FORT WORTH, TX
The WOC Nurse Week social media campaign reached 124,512 individuals across platforms
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WOCN SOCIETY 2021 YEAR IN REVIEW
PUBLICATIONS
Knowledge is power and WOCN takes pride in knowing our members have access to the best educational resources in the field. WOCN continued to support the WOC practice, our members, and the community at large in 2021 with the release of updates to clinical and educational documents and resources. Here are a few of the updated publications from 2021 and where you can find them:
COVID-19 Skin Manifestations: A Guide for WOC Nursing Practice
COVID-19 Resource Center
Guideline for Management of Patients with Lower-Extremity Wounds Due to Diabetes Mellitus and/or Neuropathic Disease
Bookstore
Lower-Extremity Wounds due to Venous Disease, Arterial Disease, or Diabetes Mellitus and/or Neuropathic Disease: Clinical Resource Guide
Document Library
Stoma Site Marking Procedure Quick Reference
Stoma Site Marking Resource Center
The Critical Need to Provide Ostomy Supplies Specific to Patient Need to Improve Health Outcomes
Document Library
WOCN Society, AUA and ASCRS Position Statement on Preoperative Stoma Site Marking for Patients Undergoing Ostomy Surgery
Stoma Site Marking Resource Center
WOC Core Curriculum Second Edition
Bookstore
Did you know?
Did you know? WOCN’s Document Library contains over
60 DOCUMENTS that have been researched and
developed by leaders in the field of WOC nursing. As a member, you can access and download each of these digital resources for
FREE—make sure you are logged into the WOCN Member Center for additional
publications that are exclusively for members. The Document Library is located under the Learning Center tab on wocn.org.
JOURNAL OF WOUND, OSTOMY AND CONTINENCE NURSING (JWOCN) 2021 was a year of continued growth for the Journal of Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing (JWOCN). Ranked in the Top 20 of nursing journals, our official journal remains the preferred resource for cutting edge research and reviews of the care and management of patients with wounds, ostomies, incontinence and foot and nail care disorders. New additions to JWOCN this year included a Value of the WOC Nurse collection as well as a special COVID-19 section that spanned 3 issues, both of which provided a mixture of evidencebased research articles and clinical practice alerts to meet the professional and economic challenges members of our community have faced, and continue to face, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
WOCN SOCIETY 2021 YEAR IN REVIEW
WOCTALK PODCAST The WOCTalk podcast channel continues to provide clinical experts, leaders, and passionate caregivers with the latest healthcare advances, industry news, and education in an easily digestible format. WOCTalk is your opportunity to learn more about advocacy, education, and research that support the practice and delivery of expert healthcare to individuals with wound, ostomy, and continence care needs. Certain episodes of WOCTalk award Contact Hours; these episodes are identified with a (*) next to the episode titles found at wocn.org/podcast. Once the last episode of the year is launched, our Contact Hour claiming system will open, and you’ll be asked to identify the episodes you listened to and complete an evaluation. Following submission of the evaluation, you’ll receive a certificate of completion with the awarded Contact Hours.
TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF OUR PODCAST CHANNEL ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
OVER
2
hosts
90
Published Episodes (NEW EPISODES PUBLISHED EVERY 2 WEEKS + BONUS INDUSTRY SUPPORTED EPISODES!)
NEARLY 130,000 TOP 10 downloads in 80 Different Countries
1 BIG AWARD
AREAS FOR DOWNLOADS: United States, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Singapore, United Kingdom, South Africa, Japan, Germany, Korea
CONTINUING EDUCATION CENTER The Continuing Education Center (CEC) is the place for the latest in WOC nursing educational courses. WOCN Society members have free access to education courses in the CEC.
The most viewed CEC programs: THE MOST HIGHLY ATTENDED WEBINAR OF 2021:
Pre-operative Stoma Site Marking: What’s New? An update from the Joint WOCN/ AUA/ASCRS Stoma Site Marking Task Force
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Palliative Care
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Enhancing The Skin Barrier Of The Perineal Skin
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Management Of The Patient With A High Output Fecal Diversion
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Management Of The High Output Stoma
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Managing MASD (IAD & ITD): The Rainforest Phenomenon
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WOCN SOCIETY 2021 YEAR IN REVIEW
PUBLIC POLICY AND ADVOCACY WOCN works diligently to shape legislation that protects and strengthens the profession of WOC care. We are committed to advancing legislative activity that promotes the benefits of WOC nurse involvement related to pressure injuries, acute and chronic wounds, ostomy, and continence care. WOCN is actively engaged in state and federal public policy and advocacy efforts to help healthcare become economically viable and to promote the value of WOC nurses across all healthcare settings. Here are some of the 2021 advocacy efforts we proudly participated in: Medicare Fistula Coverage
In September, WOCN, UOAA, ASCRS, and industry representatives met with officials at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to discuss Medicare coverage of spontaneous fistula. WOCN members have expressed growing concern over the lack of access to supplies for patients who have a nonsurgical and surgical-related fistula. These groups of patients are falling into a coverage gap that exists in postacute, post-home care with access to supplies. This issue has been noted in patients both pediatric and adult and more information can be found in a recently updated White Paper prepared by the Society.
In an effort to close this coverage gap WOCN has been working with other stakeholders to engage CMS in a conversation about how to change coverage policy so patients have access to these important supplies. This recent meeting is the first step in the process and we are hopeful that this advocacy will result in a change in CMS coverage policy to ensure access.
WOCN Continues Supports for Lymphedema Treatment Act
This past year WOCN renewed our grassroots/advocacy efforts for the 117th Congress in support of the Lymphedema Treatment Act. This legislation failed to become law in 2020 and has been reintroduced as new legislation in the new Congress (S. 1315/H.R. 3630). As you may recall, the legislation would amend the Medicare statute to pay for compression garments, bandages, and supplies to reduce lymphedemarelated swelling and prevent a recurrence. Compression therapy is considered the gold standard for the treatment of lymphedema and the treatment and prevention of venous leg ulcers (VLUs), also known as stasis ulcers. WOCN strongly supports the Lymphedema Treatment Act; this legislation reflects the vision and core tenets of the Society as a means to support cost-effective, evidence-based prevention and treatment of complex wound conditions such as VLUs and lymphedema. WOCN also provided support for an independent cost analysis/ impact study regarding the Lymphedema Treatment Act. This recently completed analysis showed that enactment of the Lymphedema Treatment Act would save the Medicare program a substantial amount - $1.3 to $1.5 billion during the first 10 years, with additional savings likely. Savings will also result in the Medicaid and private insurance categories. Given this new savings information, plus the broad bipartisan and bicameral support for the bill, which has 65 Senate and 213 House cosponsors, we hope to see it included in a legislative package during this Congress.
WOCN and UOAA Join to Help Assisted Living Facility Residents
WOCN joined with UOAA to create an FAQ document for patients in response to concerns that long-term care residents were being denied access to facilities because they have an ostomy. This document is intended to answer some frequently asked questions that owners or staff of assisted living facilities may have concerning people with an ostomy who wish to reside in an assisted living facility (ALF). Daily ostomy management is a simple process of toileting, an activity of daily living. People living with an ostomy should be welcomed and treated like any person seeking potential residence. WOCN/UOAA has spoken individually with several state chapters of these associations throughout 2021 and is currently working on statespecific outreach plans. WOCN has agreed to provide an educational webinar to state chapters of organizations that represent ALF in order to educate them on ostomy care. The presentation will address frequently asked questions as well as define the aspects of care that define
unskilled versus higher-skilled care. The discussion will also include how ostomy care components may be incorporated into the individual service plan. Finally, resources will be shared with attendees to assist care providers to accomplish patient-centered care. By the end of the session, there will be a clear understanding that people living with an ostomy should be welcomed and treated like any person seeking potential residence.
WOCN Supports Better Wound Care at Home Act
WOCN officially supported the Better Wound Care at Home Act (H.R. 2356/S.2363) which would help clarify congressional support for disposable negative pressure wound therapy (dNPWT) in the home care setting. WOCN supports the Better Wound Care at Home Act, as we believe it would remove barriers to an increased usage of dNPWT by: • Clarifying that payment for disposable NPWT is for the technology only, as intended by the original legislation, and not for both the technology and related service of its application. • Eliminate the requirement that home health agencies use a separate billing form for providing disposable NPWT. • Removing the duplicative requirement that nurses separately report their time for furnishing disposable NPWT.
WOCN Supports Revised Ostomy Patient Bill of Rights
WOCN has agreed to support and help revise a new ostomy patient bill of rights with the UOAA. In the United States, patients receiving medical care have certain health rights. For ostomy and continent diversion patients these rights are known as the “You Matter! Know What to Expect and Know Your Rights – Ostomy and Continent Diversion Patient Bill of Rights” (PBOR). These rights define and provide a guide to patients and health care professionals as to what the best practices are when receiving and providing high-quality ostomy care during all phases of the surgical experience. The Society through the Public Policy and Advocacy Coordination team participated in the revision of the Patient Bill of Rights and then participated in the development of a paper based on validating the standards of care discussed in the Patient Bill of Rights. These important documents outline important protections needed for this patient population.
WOCN Joins in on Development of White Paper Series on Access to Care
WOCN joined with several other stakeholder groups to develop a new white paper highlighting the critical need to provide ostomy supplies that are specific to patient needs. Recent payer trends in the Medicaid, private insurance, and Managed Care Organizations markets have made it more challenging for the home medical equipment provider community to provide ostomy supplies and services that meet the clinical and personal needs of individuals. Unsustainable reimbursement rate reductions limit both the services provided and the types and brands of ostomy supplies offered. This can lead to avoidable hospital readmissions, restriction of end users’ choice, product access, and access to care. The following groups supported that paper: AAHomecare; UOAA; WOCN; WOCNCB; United Spinal Association. WOCN is also currently reviewing a similar white paper that covers urologicals, and is in the process of providing input on that paper and hopes to have that paper approved in early 2021. This final white paper is designed to be shared with policymakers and payers in hopes of providing additional insight into the critical need for patients to have access to supplies.
VISIT WOCN.ORG/PUBLIC-POLICY-ADVOCACY FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO TAKE ACTION ON IMPORTANT ADVOCACY EFFORTS.
WOCN SOCIETY 2021 YEAR IN REVIEW
NEW IN 2021 EMPOWERMENT CENTER
This year we announced our brand-new emPOWERed Program aimed to motivate your professional growth, advance your clinical practice skills, and soothe your heart and soul. Visit our brand-new emPOWERment Center at wocn.org/empowered and start browsing today to view and listen to emPOWERment focused podcasts, watch our emPOWERment Webinar Series on-demand, and more!
ICD-10-CM CODES FOR MOISTURE-ASSOCIATED SKIN DAMAGE
This year our application for new ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes for Moisture-Associated Skin Damage (MASD) was approved by the ICD-10 Coordination and Maintenance Committee and took effect on October 1. MASD is a complex condition that, when coupled with a shift in demographics towards an aging population and unspecified diagnosis codes, has placed a significant burden on patients and the health system. WOCN responded to this need by applying for ICD-10-CM codes specific to MASD conditions related to irritant contact dermatitis. As a result of WOCN’s strategic initiative, these codes will improve patient care and outcomes, resource allocation, clinician education, data collection, and facilitate research. Visit the WOCN blog to read more about the new ICD-10-CM codes.
STOMA SITE MARKING RESOURCE CENTER The WOCN Society, in collaboration with the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS) and the American Urological Association (AUA), developed the following educational resources to assist clinicians in selecting an effective stoma site. You can find the complete list of resources in our brand-new Stoma Site Marking Resource Center. Visit wocn.org/stomasitemarking to see what’s in store for you there!
CONTINUING EDUCATION CENTER MAKEOVER This year we introduced our new and improved look and feel to the WOCN Continuing Education Center (CEC). With this new look also came some exciting additions to the site and resources for users, including: •
New tutorial videos outlining new features of the site and how to utilize the “My Account” functions once logged into the CEC
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More user-friendly ways to navigate the CEC:
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The ability to easily search for content by topics of interest
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The ability to easily search for content by content “tags”
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A refreshed, clean look to match WOCN branding
WOC FOR WELLNESS CHALLENGE
This year we encouraged members to participate in a three-month virtual WOC for Wellness Challenge! The Challenge aimed to promote a healthy lifestyle by tracking steps and healthy activities. Participants also had the opportunity to learn about nutrition tips, WOCN Member benefits, and make donations to Fund the Future campaign of the WOC nursing specialty. Participants who had the highest number of steps each month were entered into raffles to win various prizes, with a grand prize winner from each Step Level at the end of the Challenge.
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WOCN SOCIETY 2021 YEAR IN REVIEW
FUND THE FUTURE Due to the ever-growing need for WOC nurses across the continuum of care, WOCN continued to showcase the importance of the “Fund the Future” campaign, which aims to raise funds to provide financial support to nurture future WOC nurses as they seek additional education to grow their knowledge and advance their careers. By “funding the future”, WOCN is able to create and grow a lasting network of certified WOC nurses, generate a heightened awareness of the WOC specialty, and further advance the quality of life for the patients that we serve.
LEARN MORE OR DONATE BY VISITING FOUNDATION.WOCN.ORG.
Thank you to the following individuals who contributed to our Fund the Future campaign in 2021*: Carol Benton
Mary Green
Brenda Leake
Patricia Burke
Stephanie Greenberg
Christy Petry
Suzanne Creehan
Catherine Hoffman
Anita Rowe
Kathryn Curtis
Jacqueline Juele-Schuster
Ann Scott
Mary-Ellen Dobson
Darinka Kantcheva
Sandra Willett
Sandra Fasing
Diane Krasner
Leslie Wilson
Suzanne Fox
Karen Krey
Thank you to Coloplast for helping to “Fund the Future” by supporting the preparation of future WOC nurses through an unrestricted educational grant. Thank you to Medela LLC for supporting the WOC for Wellness Challenge and helping to “Fund the Future” by supporting the preparation of future WOC nurses through an unrestricted educational grant.
*This list of donors is not all-encompassing and only includes individuals who chose to be acknowledged and made contributions before December 14, 2021. Additional donors who contributed after this date will be included in the WOCN Society’s Year in Review 2022.
WOCN SOCIETY 2021 YEAR IN REVIEW
Coming in 2022 UPDATES TO THE VENOUS LEG ULCERS ALGORITHM We’re working on updating the Venous Leg Ulcers Algorithm to include a new name, the most up-to-date evidence- and consensus-based information for preventing and treating venous disease and lymphedema of the lower extremities across the continuum.
UPDATES TO THE WOUND TREATMENT ASSOCIATE PROGRAM Educational content and resources for the Wound Treatment Associate (WTA®) Program are currently undergoing review to ensure relevancy and timeliness. Updates will be performed to provide learners with most up-to-date fundamental wound care education.
UPDATE TO THE OASIS-D INTEGUMENTARY ITEMS: BEST PRACTICE FOR CLINICIANS DOCUMENT We’re currently working on revising the Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurses Society’s Guidance on OASIS-D Integumentary Items: Best Practice for Clinicians document to facilitate the classification of wounds by home health clinicians. Originally created in 2001, this document will be the 6th update to the OASIS Integumentary Items guidance document previously released by WOCN and will reflect the changes made by CMS in the new OASIS-E data set to standardize care across post-acute settings.
NEW EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES
Education is essential, and knowledge is power. We’re developing a variety of additional online educational opportunities that provide relevant, on-the-job instructions based on current best practices to meet the growing needs of our community.
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WOCN SOCIETY 2021 YEAR IN REVIEW
Thank You
TO OUR 2021 CORPORATE MEMBERS! 11 Health & Technology, LLC 3M Medical Solutions Alpha Tekniko Ansell Healthcare Arjo, Inc. Attends Austin Medical Products, Inc. BD UCC Better Living Now Birchwood Laboratories Inc. Byram Healthcare Calmoseptine, Inc. Casco Manufacturing Solutions, Inc Century Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Colo-Majic Enterprise Ltd. Coloplast Comfort Medical ConvaTec Inc. Cottons Brands Pty Ltd Cure Medical Dabir Surfaces DermaTherapy by Standard Textile D-ostomy by Sanguine Technology Edgepark EHOB Encompass Group, LLC EO2 Concepts® Essity Ethos Therapy Solutions Freedom Medical, Inc. Frontier Therapeutics HD Nursing HDIS, Inc. (Home Delivery Incontinence Supplies) Healogics Heathy.io Hillrom Hollister Incorporated HoverTech International Jamar Health Products LINET Americas, Inc. Magellan
MAGNA Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Marlen Mfg & Devel. Group Medela LLC medi USA Medical Monks Medline Industries, Inc. Milliken Healthcare Products, LLC MiMedx Mizuho OSI Molnlycke Health Care NelDerm Nu-Hope Laboratories, Inc. Ostoform Ltd. Perceptive Solutions Puracyn Plus by Innovacyn Quest Healthcare, A Division of Quest Products LLC Rooke Products by Osborn Medical Safe n Simple Sanara MedTech Inc. Shield HealthCare Sigvaris Group Silver Lining Apparel Simply Beautiful Store Sizewise Smith+Nephew Southwest Technologies Stealth Belt Stomagienics, Inc Stratus Pharmaceuticals Takeda Pharmaceuticals USA TG Eakin Ltd The Parthenon Company, Inc. Torbot Group, Inc. Trinity Guardion Trio Healthcare TZMO USA, Inc. UI Medical LLC Urgo Medical, LLC VATA, Inc. Walgreen Health Solutions WCEI powered by Relias
WISHING YOU A H A P P Y A N D H E A LT H Y
NEW YEAR