NURSING SPECIALITIES KEY :
• Minimum Education required
• Certification credential
• Certifications required
• Possible employment
• Reference / Resources
• Experience needed
• Professional Organization
Veterans Affairs Nurse VA nurses are dedicated to providing nursing care through the continuum of care to our nation ’ s veterans in VA hospitals , clinics , longterm facilities , and in veterans ’ homes , as well as through Telehealth ( virtual care ). They are clinicians , educators , administrators , and researchers . VA nurses work in a variety of specialized areas within those roles including clinical informatics , quality improvement , suicide prevention , community care and providing nursing care during disasters .
• RN , LPN , ASN / ADN , BSN , MSN ( BSN and MSN preferred )
• Hospitals , Continuing Care , ambulatory care centers , home healthcare
• Nurses Organization of Veterans Affairs ( NOVA ) - www . vanurse . org
Wound , Ostomy and Continence Nurse Wound , ostomy , and continence ( WOC ) nurses are experts in caring for patients with wounds , ostomies , and incontinence . WOC nurses respond to the acute and rehabilitative needs of people with select gastrointestinal , genitourinary , and integumentary systems disorders . They provide direct care to people with abdominal stomas , wounds , fistulas , drains , pressure injuries , and / or continence disorders and can serve as educators , consultants , researchers , and administrators .
• RN , BSN
• Wound , Ostomy , or Continence ( WOC ) certification exam
• Experimental Pathway : 50 Contact Hours ( CEs or the equivalent college coursework ) in each specialty within 5 years of applying to a WOC Nursing Education Program ( WOCNEP ). 1,500 clinical hours with at least 375 clinical hours in the past year . Sit for the certification exam in each of the three areas . Traditional Pathway : 1 year of clinical experience within 5 years of applying to a WOC Nursing Education Program ( WOCNEP . Complete WOCNEP program . Sit for the certification exam in each of the three areas .
• Varies – see www . wocncb . org
• Hospitals ( acute cared settings ), continuing care ( e . g ., long term and assisted living center ), ambulatory care centers , out-patient surgery centers , home healthcare , military service
• Resources : www . wocn . org / page / become _ a _ woc _ nurse
66 NSNA IMPRINT n JANUARY 2023 n www . nsna . org