Why should you be Wound Care Certified?
- Janet S. Mackenzie, MD, ABPS, CWSP, AAGP
- October 1, 2019
Vohra Wound Care Certified clinicians are highly sought-after to work in variety of healthcare settings and they earn respect and recognition from colleagues and employers. When surveyed, wound care nurses said the top reasons for becoming certified in wound care were to provide better patient care, career advancement, continuing education and to learn new skills. Vohra Wound care certification validates individual competency while improving patient care and allowing for greater flexibility and autonomy both at work and in career opportunities. An estimated 2-3% of the population suffer from chronic wounds and certified providers are in short supply. By 2060 the US population aged 65 plus will double to 95 million and one study found wounds affect 15% of Medicare recipients. Between today and 2030 the nursing home population will grow by 50% to nearly 2 million. The number of seniors living alone and in need of wound care will also dramatically increase in the coming years and steep increases in factors that contribute to wounds such as diabetes and obesity will also occur. Becoming certified in wound care is the best way to provide improved patient care, advance your career and expand your skill and knowledge.
Wound care has evolved as a distinct specialty area and certified providers earn the respect of their colleagues and become the “go to” experts. Wound care is a rapidly evolving area of medicine and improved clinical outcomes occur when providers are well trained and follow best practices and maintain their competency. Certified wound care nurses can earn up to 15% more than nurses who are not certified, and certification is evidence of commitment and competency in this specialized area.
Improving the quality of care through education and wound care certification is a focus of many state quality improvement programs. Through the Civil Money Penalty reinvestment initiative, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has providing funding for nurses to become certified through Vohra’s wound care certification program. This is just one-way CMS is committed to addressing the looming shortage of wound care providers required to serve the rapidly growing aged population. Vohra’s wound care certification is the only education and certification program created by practicing wound care physicians that it is open to anyone. RNs, LPNs, and LVNs can earn the prestigious VWCN™ credentials and nurses with VWCN™ certification are in high demand.
One such demand and the key to the success of Wound Care Centers of Excellence is certified wound care nurses. Centers of excellence in wound care are skilled nursing facilities that have committed to the highest standards of wound care and consistently deliver superior outcomes. Hundreds of these centers across numerous states are now leading in the specialty of wound care and this is only possible because of the certified wound care nurses that work there who have committed themselves to better outcomes. Wound care certification advances careers, improves outcomes, proves competency and ensures the standards of professional practice are consistently met.
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