Wound, Ostomy & Continence Nursing Education Program

Overview

R. B. Turnbull Jr. MD WOC Nursing Education Program

Program mission and vision

The R. B. Turnbull Jr. MD WOC Nursing Education Program is an accredited program promoting the mission and vision of Cleveland Clinic and its Digestive Diseases Institute. The program strives to be the leader of wound, ostomy and continence professional nursing practice through education, research, innovation and collaboration with those we serve. A variety of strategies are incorporated for providing education to all levels of healthcare providers, novice to advanced, as well as to the community.

Program philosophy

The foundation of the curriculum is evidence-based and holistic in nature. It is designed to provide tools for nurses who provide comprehensive care and education of individuals with wound, ostomy and continence care needs. The program content reflects the mission of the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society™ (WOCN^®).

As future leaders in WOC nursing, students are encouraged through discussion, didactic education, projects and clinical experiences to identify their role as clinicians, educators, consultants and contributors to the body of WOC nursing knowledge. Ultimately, students are prepared to become effective, efficient and compassionate members of a multi-disciplinary healthcare team.

More information on the program may be found under the Educational Programs tab. Questions may be emailed to wocschool@ccf.org.

Wound, ostomy and continence nursing is a specialized field of nursing involving the care of individuals with abdominal stomas, dermal wounds, pressure injuries, incontinence and related skin conditions. The R. B. Turnbull Jr. MD Wound, Ostomy and Continence (WOC) Nursing Education Program is the pioneer education program for this nursing specialty.

In 1958, Rupert B. Turnbull Jr., MD, a pioneer in colorectal surgery at Cleveland Clinic, learned one of his former patients was assisting stoma patients in her hometown of Akron, Ohio. Norma Gill herself suffered from inflammatory bowel disease and had an ileostomy. Dr. Turnbull offered her a position as the world’s first Enterostomal Therapist and coined the term “Enterostomal Therapy.”

These two individuals went on to establish the first Enterostomal Therapy training program, later named the R.B. Turnbull, Jr. MD School of Wound, Ostomy & Continence Nursing. The program is now known as the R. B. Turnbull Jr., MD WOC Nursing Education Program (WOCNEP).

When it was founded over sixty-four years ago, Cleveland Clinic's WOC Nursing Education Program was the first of its kind in the world. Since then, more than 2,000 of the approximately 6,000 WOC nurse specialists practicing throughout the world have completed the program. The R. B. Turnbull Jr. MD WOC Nursing Education Program is well established, well known and highly respected.

What is WOC nursing?

Wound, ostomy and continence (WOC) nursing is a specialized field involving the care of individuals with abdominal stomas, dermal wounds, pressure injuries and other chronic wounds, incontinence and related skin conditions.

Cleveland Clinic’s R. B. Turnbull Jr. MD WOC Nursing Education Program prepares students to play a vital role in pre- and post-operative management of the person with an ostomy; to be instrumental in the prevention and treatment of pressure injuries, fistulas, acute and chronic wounds and other skin disorders; and to be a specialist in the care of individuals with urinary and fecal incontinence. Students acquire the necessary knowledge and psychomotor skills to provide patients with effective psychological support, discharge planning, rehabilitative counseling and follow-up care.

Why become a WOC nurse?

Nearly one million people in North America have ostomies and 70,000 new ostomy surgeries are performed each year. Individuals with ostomies, fistulas, pressure injuries and incontinence have special care needs. The WOC nurse’s knowledge makes them an integral member of the healthcare team.

WOC nurses are in demand in colorectal surgery, urology, pediatrics, oncology and rehabilitation departments, to name a few. Their expertise makes them valuable not only in the hospital, but also in outpatient clinics, home care, extended care facilities, private practices, industry, research and nursing education programs.

WOC nurses have the support of a specialty organization. In 1968, at the suggestion of Dr. Turnbull Jr., 12 of the first program graduates met and formed the North American Association of Enterostomal Therapists. Today, the organization is known as the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society™ (WOCN^®). The Society has over 5,000 members and is dedicated to advancing the practice and delivery of expert healthcare to individuals with wound, ostomy and continence care needs. WOCN^® supports its members’ practice through advocacy, education and research.

WOC nurses are highly regarded, certified specialty nurses.

About the Education Program

What sets this program apart?

The R. B. Turnbull Jr. MD WOC Nursing Education Program is the first established program in the world with over 64 years of educating nurses to become WOC nurse specialists. The program is accredited by the WOCN^® allowing for a direct route to the traditional pathway to certification provided by the Wound, Ostomy, Continence Nursing Certification Board (WOCNCB^®). The program prepares individuals to become specialists in wound, ostomy and/or continence care.

Instructors/faculty are full-scope certified
Online didactic courses allowing for 24/7 access to the courses and materials
Clinical opportunities in geographical areas across the U.S.
Clinical opportunities at Cleveland Clinic allowing for exposure to a variety of medical conditions and treatments
Provides continuing education certificates of completion
Provides an opportunity to certification through WOCNCB’s experiential pathway
Recognized internationally by the World Council of Enterostomal Therapists

Cleveland Clinic enterprise is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education. Faculty have no disclosures to report. All faculty are certified as full-scope wound, ostomy and continence nurses: CWOCNs.

Meet the faculty

Kelly Jaszarowski, MSN, RN, CNS, ANP, CWOCN, WOCNF is the Program Director and has over 30 years of experience in WOC Nursing and educating healthcare professionals. Ms. Jaszarowski joined the WOC Nursing Education Program team in 2012 as a Clinical Instructor and previously served as the Assistant Program Director. She has lectured locally and nationally as well as authored articles, edited books and held leadership positions in nursing organizations. Ms. Jaszarowski is an independent WOC consultant with mid-level provider status in local facilities as well as a legal nurse consultant. She is a Past President of the Mid-East Chapter (Region) of WOCN^® and WOCN^®.

Patricia Slachta, PhD, MSN, RN, APRN, ACNS-BC, CWOCN serves as the Assistant Program Director with over 35 years of experience in WOC Nursing and education. Ms. Slachta has lectured locally and nationally on WOC nursing care. She has authored articles, edited books and served in organizational leadership positions. Before joining Cleveland Clinic, Ms. Slachta held dual careers in nursing practice and nursing education (diploma, associate, baccalaureate and graduate programs) as well as WOC nursing education programs.

Mike Klements, RN, MSN, CWOCN is a Clinical Instructor. He has over five years of experience in WOC nursing and as a WOC educator. Prior to joining the WOC Nursing Education Program team, Mr. Klements served in nursing managerial roles and has prior pediatric nursing experience. While in these positions, he provided oversight of wound, ostomy and continence nursing care.

Curriculum

Online courses allow for 24/7 access to courses and associated materials thereby allowing students the flexibility to complete course requirements at times convenient for them. The online learning management system functions best on a laptop or desktop device. Chromebooks and tablets provide limited access. Employer devices may contain cybersecurity prohibiting full access to the classroom and associated links. Chrome and Firefox are the recommended browsers. Access to a webcam is required.

Our online instructors are available to students and engage regularly with students through various communication channels including email, in-classroom discussions and message boards. Course learning opportunities include projects, self-directed learning modules, asynchronous discussion threads and online testing.

Benefits of online WOC nursing education

The online program offers:

Many opportunities to interact with classmates and faculty
Course completion from the comfort of your own home
Promotes work/life balance with 24/7 access to courses
No added expense for travel, housing and meals unless electing to complete clinicals at a geographical location away from home

Each student has the opportunity to complete a clinical practicum with an approved preceptor. The number of clinical hours is determined by the scope of study. For those completing full-scope (tri-specialty) education, 120 clinical hours (40 hours per specialty) is required. Completing both the didactic and clinical component provides the student with the ability to become certified through the traditional pathway offered by the WOCNCB^®.

Courses prepare students to play a vital role in pre- and post-operative management of the person with an ostomy; to be instrumental in the prevention and treatment of pressure injuries, fistulas and other skin disorders; and to be a specialist in the care of individuals with urinary and fecal incontinence. Students acquire the knowledge and skills to provide patients with evidence-based clinical care, psychological support, discharge planning, rehabilitative counseling and follow-up care.

Course descriptions

Each didactic course is completed over a four-week period of time. Course topics are separated to focus on specific concepts. Professional Practice Concepts in WOC Nursing is the first course to be completed as it is a pre-requisite for all other courses. For more information on each course, use the hyperlinks below.

Applicants

Applicants must meet the following criteria to be considered for admission:

Be actively licensed as registered nurse in the U.S. with a baccalaureate degree or higher.
Non-nursing baccalaureate degree holders must demonstrate competencies in health assessment, leadership and management, research and statistics and community health nursing
Have one year RN clinical experience following RN licensure.
Have current clinical nursing experience within last five years prior to application.
Provide documentation in currency of clinical nursing experience within the last five years: current, active practice, completion of a nurse refresher course or a clinical performance examination.
Ability to attend the program's didactic classes and to complete a clinical rotation in the U.S. without a student VISA. Cleveland Clinic's WOC Nursing education program is unable to sponsor student VISAs.

Scholarships

Scholarships are available from the Wound, Ostomy & Continence Nursing Society™ as well as from Chapters of that Society. See their websites for more information. Wound, Ostomy & Continence Nurses Society™.

Admissions and inquiry contact information

Teresa Warnke
WOC Admissions & Business Office Coordinator II
Mobile Phone: 216.317.7163
Email: WOCschool@ccf.org

Admission Criteria

Applicants must meet the following criteria to be considered for admission:

Be actively licensed as Registered Nurse in the U.S. with a baccalaureate degree or higher.
Non-nursing baccalaureate degree holders must demonstrate competencies in health assessment, leadership and management, research and statistics and community health nursing.
Have one year RN clinical experience following RN licensure.
Have current clinical nursing experience within last 5 years prior to application.
Provide documentation in currency of clinical nursing experience within the last 5 years: current, active practice, completion of a nurse refresher course or a clinical performance examination.
Ability to attend program's didactic classes and to complete a clinical rotation in the U.S. without a student VISA. Cleveland Clinic's WOC Nursing education program is unable to sponsor student VISAs.

There is a $200 non-refundable admission application fee.

Apply now:

Admission Application

Admission application guide

For more information, download the entire Admission Guide.

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