Who are Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy and Continence (NSWOCs)?

NSWOCs are specialized nurses.

A Nurse Specialized in Wound, Ostomy and Continence (NSWOC) is a registered nurse with advanced and specialized knowledge and clinical skills in wound, ostomy and continence care who has graduated from a World Council of Enterostomal Therapists (WCET) recognized education program.

NSWOCs are CNA Certified.

Recognized as Nurses who have specialized training in wound, ostomy and continence by the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA), NSWOCs are the ONLY nursing specialty with CNA certification in wound, ostomy and continence care (WOCC(C)).

NSWOCs are across the continuum of care.

From acute care hospitals, outpatient clinics, community, long term care and in independent practice, an NSWOC provides specialized holistic assessment and management as an interprofessional team member to meet the needs of individuals/families with ostomies, acute and chronic wounds and urinary and fecal continence problems.

The NSWOC Power of 3

As healthcare spending in Canada continues to climb, pressure on healthcare administrators to deliver cost-efficient care is intensifying—and policymakers are ever-more focused on ensuring quality and system sustainability. Wound, ostomy and continence challenges are common across all Canadian healthcare settings—and their management places a financial burden on the healthcare system.

Registered Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy and Continence (NSWOCs) can help alleviate the financial strain facing administrators and policymakers through the provision of higher quality care, reduced costs and improved outcomes for patients.

Discover the NSWOC Power of 3

Become an NSWOC!

The Wound, Ostomy & Continence Institute’s Wound, Ostomy and Continence Education Program (WOC-EP) provides baccalaureate-prepared Registered Nurses with post graduate education and preparation for Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) certification in the wound, ostomy and continence tri-specialty with a focus on quality clinical and cost outcomes.

Learn more & apply now!

Name Change Tool Kit

As of May 4, 2018, the Canadian Association for Enterostomal Therapy (CAET) changed their name to “Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy, & Continence Canada” (NSWOCC). The Enterostomal Therapy Nurse (ETN) is now known as “Nurse Specialized in Wound, Ostomy & Continence” (NSWOC).

NSWOCC Designation and Credential Position Statement

NSWOC Position statement

Name change notice

Designation & Credentials

"My NSWOC was my support line.

She gave me her knowledge, friendliness and respect. To this day I think about how lucky I was that she was available and that she offered her phone number to reach her at any time. Sixteen years later, I live without a large bowel, I have a stoma—and I have never looked back. With the help of this nurse, today I am healthy both physically and mentally."

Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy and Continence Canada (NSWOCC)