Wound, Ostomy & Continence Nursing Education Program

Overview

R.B. Turnbull, Jr. MD School of WOC Nursing Education

Cleveland Clinic's R.B. Turnbull, Jr., MD School of Wound, Ostomy, and Continence (WOC) Nursing Education, which was established as the first WOC school in the world over sixty years ago. WOC Nursing Education will prepare you 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 ulcer injury, fistula, and other skin disorders; and to be a specialist in the care of patients with urinary and fecal incontinence.

You'll acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to provide patients with effective psychological support, discharge planning, rehabilitative counseling and follow-up care.

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For more information on Cleveland Clinic’s WOC Nursing educational program, please click on the Educational Programs tab or WOC Registration tab above to review program details, an Application & Enrollment Guide, as well as the program’s contact information.

What is WOC Nursing?

Wound, Ostomy & Continence Nursing is a specialized field of nursing involving the care of patients with abdominal stomas, dermal wounds, pressure injuries, incontinence and related skin conditions. 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, private practice, home care, at extended care facilities, in industry and research, and in nursing education programs.

Nearly one million people in North American have ostomies, and 70,000 new ostomy surgeries are performed each year. Recognizing that people with ostomies, fistulas, pressure ulcers and incontinence have special needs, Cleveland Clinic pioneered the Enterostomal Therapy (ET) Program, now called Wound, Ostomy Continence (WOC) Nursing.

Why Become a WOC Nurse?

Greater job opportunities since your WOC nursing skills will be in demand throughout the country and around the world in hospital; home care; extended care facilities; outpatient clinics; private practice; industry and research; and educational institutions.

The potential for higher pay as an WOC nursing specialty practice.
The professional prestige of being an RN WOC Nurse.
Eligibility to sit for certification through the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing Certification Board.
Fulfilling contact hours for continuing nursing education that your home state may require.
The personal satisfaction of providing in-depth, individualized care to patients with WOC care needs.

Program History

In 1958, Rupert B. Turnbull, Jr., MD, a pioneer in colorectal surgery at Cleveland Clinic learned that one of his former ileostomy patients, Norma Gill, was assisting stoma patients in her hometown of Akron, Ohio. He offered her a position as the world's first full-time enterostomal therapist and coined the term "enterostomal therapy."

The two established the first enterostomal therapy training program, later named the R.B. Turnbull Jr., MD School of Wound, Ostomy & Continence Nursing Education Program.

In 1968, at the suggestion of Dr. Turnbull, 12 of the first graduates met and formed the North American Association of Enterostomal Therapists (today called the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society™). A year later, the organization constituted a convention held at Cleveland Clinic.

When it was founded over sixtyyears ago, Cleveland Clinic's WOC school was the first of its kind in the world. Since then, it has graduated more than 2,000 of the approximately 6,000 WOC nurse specialists practicing throughout the world. The program is well-established, well known and highly respected.

The department has extensive experience in the management of patients with stomas. Cleveland Clinic sponsors a school of Wound, Ostomy & Continence Nursing Education in which nurses learn the specialty of WOC nursing.

Educational Programs

Course Descriptions

What Sets Our Program Apart

First WOC Program in the World

Rupert B. Turnbull, Jr. MD, Colorectal Surgeon at Cleveland Clinic and Norma Gill Thompson pioneered the Enterostomal Therapy Program; now called WOC Nursing.
Cleveland Clinic established the first WOC school in the world, over 60 years ago.

Extensive Clinical Exposure

Thanks to Cleveland Clinic's large volume of patients - between 40-60 ostomy-fistula and 35-50 pressure ulcer and incontinence patients are in the hospital on any given day - you will be exposed to a wide variety of medical conditions and treatments.
Working closely with our WOC nurses, you will receive hands-on experience in caring for patients with intestinal and urinary stomas, urinary and fecal incontinence, pressure injury, cutaneous fistula and other selected skin conditions.

Accreditation

Accredited by Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurses Society™
Cleveland Clinic Enterprise is accredited with distinction as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
Approved by Allied Health & Education Council of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation*
Recognized by The World Council of Enterostomal Therapists

*Contact our program for expiration dates.

Faculty

The faculty comprises board-certified WOC nurses.

Kelly Jaszarowski MSN, RN, CNS, ANP, CWOCN is serving as the interim Program Director with over 30 years’ experience in WOC Nursing and educating healthcare professionals. She is a Past President of the WOCN®. Ms. Jaszarowski joined the WOC Nursing Education Program team in 2013 as a Clinical Instructor and previously served as the Assistant Program Director.

Mike Klements, RN, BSN, CWOCN is a Clinical Instructor who has been precepting WOC students since 2018. He currently is a student himself pursuing a Master’s in Nursing Education degree. Prior to joining the WOC Nursing education team, Mr. Klements has served in nursing managerial roles and has prior pediatric experience.

Online Curriculum

The online WOC Nursing Education Program incorporates technology with the WOCN® accredited curriculum in a highly interactive virtual classroom. Students acquire the knowledge and skills to provide patients with evidence-based clinical care, psychological support, discharge planning, rehabilitative counseling, and follow-up care.

The online curriculum includes:

Professional Practice Concepts in WOC Nursing
Nursing Management of Acute & Chronic Wounds
Fecal and Urinary Diversions
Urinary & Fecal Incontinence
Practicum Course

Graduates of the program are eligible to sit for the certification exam through the Wound, Ostomy & Continence Certification Board.

Following the online didactic program that includes individual and group projects, self-directed learning modules, asynchronous discussion threads and online testing, each student will also be required to complete a clinical practicum with a WOCN approved preceptor. The required number of clinical hours vary based upon the number of specialty courses elected. Each specialty course requires a minimum of a 40 hour practicum.

Our online instructors are available to students and engage regularly with students through various communication channels including email, in classroom discussions and message boards.

Benefits of Online Education in WOC Nursing

Students complete the program and become eligible for certification from the comfort of their own homes.
No added expense for travel, housing, and meals unless electing to complete clinicals onsite in Cleveland, Ohio.
Many opportunities to interact with classmates and faculty.
The program includes a clinical component that may be completed with an approved local WOC nursing preceptor (or onsite at Cleveland Clinic).
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 injury, fistula, and other skin disorders; and to be a specialist in the care of patients with urinary and fecal incontinence.
Students will acquire the necessary skills to provide patients with evidence-based clinical care, psychological support, discharge planning, rehabilitative counseling, and follow-up care.
Since opening this nursing program, over 60 years ago, it has graduated more than 2,000 of about 6,000 WOC nurse specialists practicing throughout the world.

Prerequisites

Applicants must be a registered nurse, with a minimum of a four-year baccalaureate nursing degree, or baccalaureate degree in a field other than nursing with demonstrated baccalaureate level nursing competencies in the areas of health assessment, leadership and management, research and statistics, and community health nursing. Additionally, applicants must have one full years’ RN clinical experience to enroll in this program, and be a legal, U.S. resident.

Scholarship

A scholarship for Wound, Ostomy & Continence Nursing Education may be available from:

Wound, Ostomy & Continence Nurses Society™

Contact Information

R.B. Turnbull, Jr., MD School of WOC Nursing Education
Cleveland Clinic

Teresa Warnke
WOC Admissions & Business Office Coordinator II
Mobile Phone: 216.317.7163
Fax: 216.445.6343
Email: [email protected]

WOC Registration

Registration Links & Information

Apply now:

Application Packet

For more information, download the entire WOC Application & Enrollment Guide.

Don't want to download and print the entire application? Use the links below to find and print exactly what you need.

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