Wound, Ostomy, & Continence Nursing Education
Winona State University is proud to offer an accredited Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing Education Program (WOCNEP) as part of its continuing education offerings.
WSU’s WOCNEP is a fully online, non-credit professional training program designed to provide experienced registered nurses with the education they need to care for patients with wound, ostomy, and continence needs. These can range from pressure ulcers to pre- and post-ostomy care to fecal and urinary incontinence.
Learners who successfully complete this program are eligible to sit for the WOC Certification exam offered by the Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing Certification Board (WOCNCB).
This is a rigorous program lasting from 6-12 months, designed to give nurses an unsurpassed education as they prepare to provide this much needed specialty care to patients.
Although classes are taught asynchronously online, they are structured and led by experienced instructors, giving students easy access to educational assistance.
The WSU WOCNEP is fully accredited by the WOC Nurses Society (WOCN) through February 2029.
Admission Requirements
- Active, unencumbered RN license in the U.S. state of practice
- Completed baccalaureate (or higher) degree
- For students with international transcripts a credit evaluation from World Education Services (WES) may be required to determine equivalency of U.S baccalaureate degree. Contact WSU ACE for more information.
- One year of clinical nursing experience following RN licensure
- Current clinical nursing experience within five years prior to application
Apply to WOC Nursing Program
The application window for the 2024 WOCNEP cohort has closed.
The following documents are required in the admission process:
- Completed online application
- Verification of active unencumbered RN license in the state of practice
- Official transcript(s)— if baccalaureate is in another field, include both official nursing and baccalaureate transcripts
- Transcripts should be mailed to Winona State University, Attn. Adult & Continuing Education, PO Box 5838, Winona, MN 55987
- International students should contact continuingeducation@winona.edu for specific transcript/education requirements needed for admission
- Resume or curriculum vitae (CV) outlining education and clinical nursing experience with dates of practice, including the month and year
- Non-refundable application fee of $125
This program requires several types of learning hours, including online learning and in-person clinicals.
The didactic courses in this program are fully online and asynchronous, yet instructor led.
Students watch recorded lectures, participate in discussion questions, and complete assignments designed to reinforce learning. Knowledge is assessed through regular quizzes as well as final examinations.
Access to class quizzes is retained throughout the student’s time in the program and can be used as a study tool for the certification exam(s).
Students can expect to dedicate 15-20 hours per week on their learning.
More than 500 didactic learning hours are included in the full scope program.
Required clinical hours vary by scope. The clinical experience for full-scope learners consists of 120 clinical learning hours of preceptor-led learning spread across each specialty.
Clinical hours may begin once the didactic portion of the specialty has been completed.
When arranging clinical experiences, the program collaborates with the student being placed. A WOC-certified nurse or experienced provider will be in direct supervision of all clinicals.
A clinical location will be assigned to you based on your geographic location. You will be responsible for transportation to the assigned clinical site.
Although every effort will be made to accommodate your personal preferences, we ask for flexibility in clinical scheduling.
Background studies are required for clinical placement, and associated costs will be the responsibility of the student.
Students are also required to hold current health insurance and personal professional liability insurance.
Specific requirements, such as vaccination or immunity status and CPR/BLS certification, are determined by the clinical placement facility and may vary from site to site.
Classes are housed completely online in the D2L Brightspace learning environment. There are no synchronous meetings. You will be able to complete coursework on your own schedule.
However, courses are instructor led and structured, meaning this program is not self-paced. You can expect to spend roughly 15-20 hours per week on coursework.
In addition to the online portion, each WOC element will also have clinical practice hours to be started upon successful completion of the online learning.
Clinical practice time could overlap with online course time. For example, you may be scheduled for wound clinical time while taking the online ostomy course.
Online Learning Requirements
You will need the following technology to be a successful online learner:
- Laptop or desktop computer that meets WSU’s minimum requirements
- Stable, high-speed internet connection
- Current version of a web browser (Google Chrome is recommended browser to access D2L)
Laptop rentals are available through Winona State University for an additional cost. Contact continuingeducation@winona.edu for more information about this option.
Students may choose a single or dual specialty of their choice or complete the full scope program.
If you elect the full scope program, completion of didactic and clinical learning will take about 1 year.
Participants take one course at a time, and all learners are required to complete the Professional Practice class.
Estimated Class Lengths
| Course Title | Course Length |
|---|---|
| Professional Practice Issues | 5 weeks |
| Wound Assessment and Management | 16 weeks |
| Fecal and Urinary Diversion Ostomy Management | 12 weeks |
| Continence Assessment and Management | 12 weeks |
Program Costs
Learners are responsible for the following program costs:
- Registration Fees
- Full Scope: $6,700
- Dual Scope: $4,800
- Single Scope: $2,700
- Application Fee: $125
- Books: About $90-270
- WOC Nurses Society Student Membership: $65
- Background Studies: Study needs are determined by the clinical placement facility and range from $10-45
- Typhon Clinical Tracking Access: $70
- Certification Exam(s): Visit the WOCNCB website for details
Scholarships are available through both the WOCN Society Foundation and the North Central Region of the WOCN Society.
Feel free to reach out with any additional questions you may have about this program.