Below you will find frequently asked questions. If you still require assistance, send us an email at
Eligibility Requirements
What are the eligibility requirements to take the NAWCO® Wound Care Certified (WCC®) certification examination?
The certification examination for the WCEI
® Skin and Wound management course is developed and administered by the National Alliance of Wound Care and Ostomy
® (NAWCO
®).
Visit
NAWCO's website for information about the Wound Care Certified (WCC
®) eligibility requirements, as well as the application process, handbook, and more.
What are the eligibility requirements to take the NAWCO® Nutrition Wound Care Certified (NWCCTM) certification examination?
The certification examination for the WCEI
® Skin and Wound management course is developed and administered by the National Alliance of Wound Care and Ostomy
® (NAWCO
®).
Visit
NAWCO's website for information about the Wound Care Certified (WCC
®) eligibility requirements, as well as the application process, handbook, and more.
What are the eligibility requirements to take the NAWCO® Diabetic Wound Certified® (DWC®) certification examination?
The certification examination for the WCEI
® Skin and Wound management course is developed and administered by the National Alliance of Wound Care and Ostomy
® (NAWCO
®).
Visit
NAWCO's website for information about the Wound Care Certified (WCC
®) eligibility requirements, as well as the application process, handbook, and more.
What are the eligibility requirements to take the NAWCO® Ostomy Management Specialist® (OMS) certification exam?
The certification examination for the WCEI
® Skin and Wound management course is developed and administered by the National Alliance of Wound Care and Ostomy
® (NAWCO
®).
Visit
NAWCO's website for information about the Wound Care Certified (WCC
®) eligibility requirements, as well as the application process, handbook, and more.
I work in the wound care industry but am not a licensed healthcare professional. Can I take the Skin and Wound Management course?
Yes! Non-licensed individuals are able to enroll in our Skin and Wound Management course.
The credential for a non-licensed individual is the Certified Wound Care Market Specialist
® (CWCMS
®). If you are interested in taking the certification exam, you must meet
eligibility requirements.
What credentials are required for someone to be eligible?
Anyone can take our certification course. If you are a nurse, physical therapist, occupational therapist, physician, or dietician you may meet the credential board’s eligibility requirements to take the certification exam.
Registration
How do I create a WCEI® User Account?
Creating a personalized WCEI
® account gives you access to a variety of educational tools and resources. Here is how to set up a user account:
- Click on the Need an Account? located at the top right of every page.
- Complete the form to create your account.
You will provide information such as your name, professional license, email address and date of birth. It is best practice to use your name as it appears on your professional license, if applicable. Also, your date of birth is
only used for account identification purposes and is never shared.
How do I register for a course?
Once you have selected the course you would like to take, the registration process includes just five easy steps:
Step 1: Group Code (optional)
Step 2: Personal Information
Step 3: Professional Information
Step 4: Billing Information
Step 5: Select your credentialing board and complete your certification exam application
Here is how to register for a course:
- Click the Education drop down at the top left of any page.
- Select the course you are interested in taking.
- Click the Register button.
- If you are not already logged in or do not have an account a box will pop up and prompt you to take action.
- Complete the registration process.
- Incomplete Registration: the course you started registering for will show up on your dashboard. You can continue to register for the course by clicking on the course link.
- Complete Registration: the course you registered for will show up on your dashboard and you will receive a confirmation email.
After registering for the course, if you plan to sit for a certification exam, you will select a credentialing board, complete their exam application, and pay their certification fees. The credentialing board determines your exam eligibility. For your convenience, the National Alliance of Wound Care and Ostomy® administers the certification examination at most course locations the day after the course concludes. Contact NAWCO at 877-922-6292 for exam-related questions.
Tuition Rate
What is the tuition cost for the Skin and Wound Management course?
While the
Skin and Wound Management tuition covers four days of live instruction, course materials and
Continuing Education Contact Hours. The value WCEI
® offers expands beyond the classroom. With access to in-person and real-time online support and guidance - along with a myriad of online resources based on current standards of care and best practices - your investment in your education will grow over time.
Once you complete the WCEI
® course you will have ongoing access to an amazing array of free or low-cost
benefits.
What is the tuition cost for the Diabetic Wound Management Course?
While the Diabetic Skin and Wound Management tuition covers narrated online training modules, course materials and continuing education contact hours. The value WCEI® offers expands beyond the classroom. With access to in-person and real-time online support and guidance - along with a myriad of online resources based on current standards of care and best practices - your investment in your education will grow over time.
Once you complete the WCEI® course, you will have ongoing access to an amazing array of free or low-cost benefits.
What is the tuition cost for the Ostomy Wound Management course?
While the
Ostomy Management Course tuition covers online pre-course modules, four days of live instruction, course materials and
continuing education contact hours. The value WCEI
® offers expands beyond the classroom. With access to in-person and real-time online support and guidance - along with a myriad of online resources based on current standards of care and best practices - your investment in your education will grow over time.
Once you complete the WCEI
® course you will have ongoig access to an amazing array of free or low cost
benefits.
Recertification
How do I recertify my credential(s)?
You can recertify the easy way by preparing with a WCEI
® certification course onsite or online. No test, no stress, no problem!
Courses to prepare you for recertification are available for the following:
Additionally,
recertification pathways may be available through your credential board.
Course Locations
Is there a Skin and Wound Management certification course in my area?
Is there a Diabetic Skin and Wound Management certification course in my area?
Is there an Ostomy Management course in my area?
Can WCEI® come to my facility and provide a course to our staff?
Yes! WCEI
® frequently works with facilities who are interested in
hosting a course:
- Skin and Wound Management Certification Course
- Ostomy Management Certification Course
- Diabetic Skin and Wound Management Certification Course
Financial Assistance
Do you offer tuition payment plans or financial assistance?
Don't let costs stand in your way of furthering your education and career. WCEI
® offers a variety of options that may meet your needs:
If you need further assistance, contact a WCEI
® financial advisor by emailing
woundcaresupport@relias.com, or calling 877-462-9234.
What payment plan options are available for people whose employer is not paying and are paying out of pocket?
The following list of services can assist in funding course tuition. Don’t let wound care certification costs stand in your way. Contact a WCEI® financial advisor to find out how you can cover or offset tuition costs by calling 877-462-9234 or emailing woundcaresupport@relias.com.
Affirm
Affirm is a company that offers loans for online purchases with fixed monthly payment terms.
Military Spousal Assistance (MyCAA)
MyCAA funding gives eligible military spouses the opportunity to train for portable jobs in growing career fields. WCEI® is an approved educational institution with the MyCAA. Learn more about MyCAA.
Student Loans
Contact your local bank for information on educational loans.
Tuition Agreement
If your employer does not have a tuition assistance program, utilize this agreement to negotiate reimbursement terms.
Tuition Tax Write-Off
If you are traveling to a conference or continuing education event related to your practice, you may be able to write off your expenses.
Unemployment
Many organizations or state programs will include education benefits with unemployment packages. Contact your unemployment representative to determine your eligibility and request the necessary application forms. It is important that you contact WCEI® once you have received an approval notification because each state's payment process varies.
Unrestricted Education Grants
Contact your facility supervisor and/or purchasing department about unrestricted education grants. Grants are provided through contracted wound care suppliers and/or vendors. WCEI® receives tuition payments directly from the supplier/vendor. Consider these:
Why is the course more expensive than other programs? What makes WCEI different from someone that's cheaper?
Over the past 20 years, more than 40k individuals have taken their initial certification or recertification course through WCEI. This is three times more than other providers.
The following is what makes the WCEI program different:
Course Curriculum
- We are not just a “review course” or “test prep”, we teach current bedside best practices
- The curriculum is updated with regulatory changes or at a minimum of every 3 years
- Ability to change from one learning modality to another (Online Self-paced, Live Online, or Onsite In-person)
- Exam prep tools included (flashcards, practice tests, and learning games)
- The online course materials are included with a live class and are available 29 days prior to the class start date.
- Seasoned and experienced faculty from a variety of backgrounds
- Unlike other courses that require hours of reading time, the time spent within our courses is faculty-led or exam prep time
- Each lesson has end-of-lesson knowledge questions
- Access to 3 unlimited practice exams
- Interactive online lessons or faculty-driven interactivity during live classes
Relias Learning Platform (LMS)
- The Contact Center allows you to connect with other learners in the program; send emails to faculty or other students, post a discussion, and receive notifications
- Walk-Me is a feature that provides functionality tutorials at anytime
- The Progress section displays the percentage of the course completed, the number of hours completed, and a line graph displaying open and completed sections of the course
- An organization can establish administrative roles that can support their learners, monitor progress, and run reports
- Receive text or email notifications or reminders
- Write notes and bookmark areas in a lesson
- Personalized learning through proficiency levels that identify focus study areas
- Activities and games solidify learning in a fun and interactive way
- Resume where you left off
After Taking the Course
Once you receive your credential, the real work happens. The only constant in the field of wound care is changing. It is imperative that you connect with other specialists for support and remain committed to ongoing education. WCEI provides you with the opportunity to:
- Ability to connect with other wound care specialists within the Wound Care Rocks Community
- Attending education events like live webinars, seminars, hands-on workshops, a national conference, and more.
The difference in delivery methods of education?
Online Self-Paced
Asynchronous Learning |
Live Online
Synchronous Learning |
In-Person
Distance Learning |
- Access to course materials for 6 months
- Self-directed, independent learning
- Requires an electronic device with internet access
|
- 4 consecutive online learning days
- Remote access to the online course and other resource materials 29 days prior to the first day of class
- Requires an electronic device with internet access
- Real-time interaction with instructors and peers via Q&A, chat, and polling
- Visual materials, interactivity, and practical examples
|
- 4 consecutive online learning days
- Remote access to the online course and other resource materials 29 days prior to the first day of class
- Real-time interaction with instructors and peers via Q&A, chat, and polling
- Visual materials, interactivity, and practical examples
- Networking with wound care professionals
|
Continuing Education Hours
How many continuing education contact hours are available for a course?
WCEI
® offers a variety of education programs that provide
continuing education contact hours for nurses, physicians, and practitioners of physical therapy and occupational therapy. Total hours provided vary.
How long does the course take?
Skin and Wound Management – leads to the NAWCO WCC or the NWCC certification exam
- Online Self-Paced: Individuals enrolled in the online course have access to course materials for 6 months. The course takes approximately 23-40 hours to complete. Completion times vary based on time commitments, learning style, distractions, whether the student completes the supplemental course, etc.
- Live Online: 4 consecutive days
- Onsite In-Person: 4 consecutive days
Ostomy Management Specialist – leads to the NAWCO OMS certification exam
- Live Online: 8 Online Modules + live sessions
- Onsite In-Person: 4 consecutive days
Diabetic Wound Management – leads to the NAWCO DWC certification exam
- Online Self-Paced: Individuals enrolled in the online course have access to course materials for 6 months. The course takes approximately 23-40 hours to complete. Completion times vary based on time commitments, learning style, distractions, whether the student completes the supplemental course, etc.
- Live Online: 4 consecutive days
- Onsite In-Person: 4 consecutive days
How long does the online course usually take?
The online Skin and Wound Management course will take approximately 23-40 hours to complete, and the Diabetic Skin and Wound Management course will take 30 - 35 hours. Completion times will vary based on time commitments, learning style, distractions, whether the student completes the supplemental course, etc.
Certificate of Completion
How do I replace my certificate of completion?
All of your account information is available on your WCEI
® account dashboard. To locate your certificate of completion, follow these steps:
- Log into your WCEI® user account using your email address and password.
- Certificates of completion are found under the respective areas Completed Training (Courses) or Completed Webinars.
If the certificate is not available, contact the admissions department by emailing
woundcaresupport@relias.com, or calling 877-462-9234.
Online Courses
Which courses are offered online?
WCEI
® offers the following online courses:
Select a credentialing board for
testing center insturctions.
Please note: the Ostomy Management Specialist course is not offered online at this time.
How do I access my online course modules?
Start by reviewing the
technical requirements document. Then simply follow these steps to access your online account:
- Log into your WCEI® user account using your email address and password.
- Under Current and Upcoming Training (Courses), click the Start Course link located beneath the course name.
- The link will change to Continue Course after your access the course modules the first time.
- Your 180 days of access begins as soon as your enrollment is complete.
- Click the link and accept the terms and conditions of the training system.
If you have difficulties, the technical support team is available by emailing
woundcaresupport@relias.com, or by calling 877-462-9234.
How do I access the online modules after I have completed the online course?
You can view course modules at any time during the 180-day access period. Follow these steps to access your online course modules:
- Login to WCEI® user account using your email address and password.
- Under Current and Upcoming Training (Courses) click the Continue Course link located beneath the course name.
- In your training account, click the Completed Courses tab.
If you have difficulties, the technical support team is available by emailing
woundcaresupport@relias.com, or by calling 877-462-9234.
Technical Issues
How do I change my profile information like my last name, email or street address?
You can change any information in your account online except your name (this is to protect the accuracy of your account and certificates). To change your name, call us at 877-462-9234, and we will gladly assist you.
To update your personal account information:
- Click on the red Login button located at the top right of every page.
- Underneath the welcome message on the left side click on Edit Profile.
- Updated your profile information.
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on Update Profile.
If you continue to have difficulties, the technical support team is available by emailing
woundcaresupport@relias.com or by calling 877-462-9234.
Whom do I contact if I have technical issues or questions?
We apologize if you are experiencing technical issues. You can reach our technical support team by emailing
woundcaresupport@relias.com, or calling 877-462-9234.
How do I reset or recover my WCEI® user account password?
No problem! Here is how to reset or recover your password:
- Click on the red Login button located at the top right of every page.
- At the bottom left of the display box click on Forgot Password and follow the instructions.
If you have difficulties, the technical support team is available by emailing
woundcaresupport@relias.com, or by calling 877-462-9234.
Exam Status
Whom do I contact about the status of my credential examination?
If you took a certification examination with NAWCO
® within the last three weeks and have questions about the results, email NAWCO
® at
information@nawccb.org, or call 877-922-6292. Otherwise, contact your credentialing board.
Webinars and Seminars
How do I register and access an on-demand webinar?
Registering and accessing one of WCEI
® On-Demand webinars is easy. Here is what you need to do:
Register
- Click the Education drop down at the top left of any page.
- Select On Demand Webinar.
- Scroll through the list and select a webinar by clicking on the name.
- Click the register button.
- If you are not already logged in or do not have an account, you will be prompted before being taken to a registration page.
- Complete the registration process.
- Incomplete Registration: the webinar you started registering for will show up on your dashboard. You can continue to register for the webinar by clicking on the course link.
- Complete Registration: the webinar you registered for will show up on your dashboard and you will receive a confirmation email.
Access
- Immediately after registering you will be taken to the webinar for viewing.
- You may view the webinar completely or come back to your dashboard later where it will be located under Current and Upcoming Training (Webinars).
Pass/Fail Rate
What is the pass rate for individuals who take the training and then take the exam?
What is the passing rate for each course type Board Exam?
Some clinicians report that a certification exam is almost as hard as their licensure exam. It is imperative that individuals planning to take the certification exam through a board have the required experience. Exam questions are often based on the application of learning from work experience and didactic lessons. A student will not pass board exams without foundational knowledge. If you do not meet the experience requirement, NO PROBLEM! Contact us for more information about precepted options.
There are three primary boards that a student can select from. These boards are not connected with or influenced by an educational provider. These boards offer certification exams and award credentials.
Wound Care Certification
The three primary boards have accredited their wound certification exams through the National Commission for Certifying Agencies and report the pass/fail rates on their websites: NAWCO: WCC 75% (as of 8/2022)
- ABWM: CWCA 54%, CWS 61% and CWSP 76% (as of 1/2022)
- WOCNCB: CWCN 77% (as of 12/2021)
Ostomy Certification
As of March 2022, NAWCO indicates the onsite classroom pass rate is 86% while the live online is 86%. WOCNCB reports the COCN pass rates as 74%.
Diabetic Wound Management Certification
As of March 2022, NAWCO indicates the live online/onsite classroom pass rate is 92% and the online is 84%. WOCNCB reports the CFCN pass rates as 75%.
Leave Your Worries Behind with Test Prep Confidence
To support our learners and business partners, the Wound Care Education Institute® offers Test Prep Confidence. If you complete our Skin and Wound Management(SWM)certification course but do not pass the NAWCO® Wound Care Certified (WCC®) credentialing exam, we will provide 6 months of free access to the online Skin and Wound Management course for continued study. Simply send a copy of your exam results to coursesupport@relias.com within 30 days of receiving them.
Test Prep Confidence combined with the required experience can help make sure you accomplish your ultimate goal — wound care certification!