Described as “a major and snowballing threat to public health and the economy,” chronic wounds affect approximately 6.5 million Americans,(1) with more than $50 billion spent annually on treatment.(2) Numbers for these types of wounds are projected to rise due to an aging population and increases in the prevalence of diabetes and obesity.(1) Furthermore, the annual incidence of patients developing a pressure injury is 2.5 million.(3) Prevalence is widespread in all care settings, with estimates of 10% to 18% in acute care, 2.3% to 28% in long-term care, and up to 29% in home care.(4) These wounds bring pain, associated risk for serious infection, and increased healthcare interventions. 

In order to improve patients’ experience and outcomes, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act enacted in 2010 and the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014 mandate that patient care services be focused on quality rather than quantity. The care of patients with wounds has changed accordingly. In recent years, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has developed appropriate measures to monitor and evaluate the quality of pressure injury and wound care provided to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. In addition, many accountable care organizations follow CMS guidelines to ensure their patients receive appropriate care.(4) 

Evidence-based practices, including adherence to guidelines and established treatment protocols, greatly improve chronic wound healing and may reduce the overall cost of care in diabetic foot, venous, and pressure ulcers.(5,6) Therefore, education and certification to improve clinicians’ knowledge of wound care and treatment protocols can help ensure optimal management and improved outcomes. 

Specialty certification has been linked to enhanced rates in patient satisfaction as well as in nurse staffing and retention rates, and has been associated with improved patient outcomes, inpatient mortality, and patient safety.(8) Mounting evidence suggests that certified wound care clinicians demonstrate greater substantive knowledge compared to their non-certified counterparts. Wound-certified clinicians more accurately stage pressure injuries and assess lower extremity vascular status than non-certified clinicians. In this regard, the Wound Certification Prep Course (WCPC) is the industry-leading course providing a comprehensive review of wound management for those interested in preparing for their wound certification board exams, becoming re-certified, or gaining a more advanced understanding of wound care. Acknowledged by the American Board of Wound Management Foundation (ABWMF) as the “recommended review course” for clinicians planning to take the CWCA®, CWS®, and CWSP® certifications, WCPC provides a broad review of the classification of wounds, stages of wound healing, the effect of venous insufficiencies and lymphedema on wound healing, topical management, and more.

REFERENCES

1. Sen CK, Gordillo GM, Roy S, et al. Human skin wounds: a major and snowballing threat to public health and the economy. Wound Repair Regen. 2009; 17: 763-771.

2. Kuhn BA, Coulter SJ. Balancing ulcer cost and quality equation. Nurse Econ. 1992; 10: 353-359.

3. Lyder CH, Wang Y, Metersky M, et al. Hospital-acquired pressure ulcers: results from the national Medicare Patient Safety Monitoring System study. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2012; 60: 1603-1608.

4. Roya Agahi. Building a wound management program: a new approach bridges the gap between skilled nursing facilities and outpatient wound clinics. Available at: http://www.providermagazine.com/archives/2018_Archives/Pages/0218/Building-a-Wound-Management-Program.aspx. Accessed May 10, 2018.

5. Driver VR, Fabbi M, Lavery LA, Gibbons G. The costs of diabetic foot: the economic case for the limb salvage team. J Am Podiatr Med Assoc. 2010; 100: 335-341.

6. Russo CA, Steiner C, Spector W. Hospitalizations related to pressure ulcers among adults 18 years and older, 2006. US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP). December 2008. Available at http://www.hcup-us.ahrq.gov/reports/statbriefs/sb64.jsp. Accessed May 14, 2018.

7. Kendall-Gallagher D, Aiken LH, Sloane DM, Cimiotti JP. Nurse specialty certification, inpatient mortality, and failure to rescue. J Nurs Scholarsh. 2011; 43:188-194.

8. Hart S, Bergquist S, Gajewski B, Dunton N. Reliability testing of the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators pressure ulcer indicator. J Nursing Care Qual. 2006; 21: 256-265.

9. Zulkowski K, Ayello EA, Wexler S. Certification and education: do they affect pressure ulcer knowledge in nursing? Adv Skin Wound Care. 2007; 20: 34-38.

Simply put, the Wound Certification Prep Course is specifically designed to prepare you for these exams! Our content is deeply rooted in the areas of wound management that are covered in the CWSP®, CWS®, and CWCA® certification exams. As a result, our alumni approach their exams with confidence and are prepared and poised for success, making the Wound Certification Prep Course money well spent. 

Here are some more impressive stats polled from recent post-course alumni surveys:

• 99% said the course increased their confidence
• 98% said the course increased their competence
• 98% said the course increased their knowledge
• 99% said the course met their educational needs
• 99% said they would refer the course to a friend or colleague
• 93% of our alumni successfully pass their exam
• 92% rated the faculty’s knowledge and expertise as excellent
• 75% intend to make changes to their practice

HMP Global is the omnichannel market leader in healthcare events, education, and insight — with a mission to improve patient care. For 40 years, the company has built trusted brands including Psych Congress, the premier source for mental health education, and the Symposium on Advanced Wound Care (SAWC), the largest wound care meeting in the world. HMP Global partners with leading experts around the world to deliver more than 450 annual events, medical strategy and marketing for pharmaceutical and medical device customers through HMP Collective, and pharmaceutical market insight, engaging a global community of healthcare stakeholders that includes nearly 2 million clinicians across 600 medical specialties as well as managed care, behavioral health, senior living, emergency medical, and pharmaceutical commercialization professionals. For more information, visit hmpglobal.com.