Week celebrates WOC nurses

April 13 to 19 is Wound, Ostomy and Continence (WOC) Nurse Week, designed to honor the care that WOC nurses provide to millions of long-term care community residents and others who have chronic wounds, ostomies and urinary and fecal incontinence.

“Every WOC nurse makes a significant difference in the lives of patients and their families by directing and providing compassionate care,” says Patricia Burns, a former WOC nurse and now vice president of clinical affairs at Smith & Nephew, a global technology business supporting the observance through an educational grant. “The WOC nurse requires specialized clinical education to care for the unique needs of these patients. We want to raise awareness of this nursing specialty and the contributions it makes,” she adds.

The Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society has a brochure and poster marking the observance available for download on its website.

For tips on reducing ostomy infection risk, see this article from Long-Term Living.

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