Wound Ostomy and Continence Nursing Scope & Standards of Practice

The WOC Nursing Scope and Standards publication is essential to anyone practicing in the field. The information can be used to familiarize WOC nurses with where the profession came from, its current expectations and where it is evolving. Knowledge is power and that is precisely what these volumes provide---knowledge to begin dialogue with administrators, professors, politicians, patients and others to ensure that all decisions regarding WOC nurses come from a well-informed place. This document covers the following about the WOC nurse: a standard definition, inventory of the responsibilities as an advocate, overview of the role played in disease management, review of the expected ethics and values, requirements related to WOC nursing and professional accountability, identification of the specific steps involved in the WOC nursing process, framework for providing patient care, and an overview of the diverse practice environments in which WOC nurses contribute their specialized care.