I wanted to take this opportunity to provide a brief update as to the current status of the Wound Treatment Associate Program (WTA) but before I do that, I would like to publicly thank everyone who attended our Train the Trainer session and our networking session at the annual conference; we loved your enthusiasm and we came back with a lot of great ideas and suggestions! A special thanks to all of the volunteers who assisted with our Train the Trainer sessions – we appreciate you!

Just as a quick summary for those of you who missed the conference sessions:

Agency Fees:
Agencies who have a qualified WOC nurse and wish to purchase this program can obtain a licensing fee for two years for $2,500, plus $100 per participant. (The participant fee covers administrative costs associated with enrollment, record maintenance, etc.)

WOC Nurse Course Coordinator:
Agencies who wish to provide this program must identify a WTA Course Coordinator. The WTA course coordinator must be a CWCN, CWON or CWOCN, and a WOCN member. The course coordinator will be required to complete and submit an online application to the WOCN Society. The application and criteria are currently in progress and will be posted on the WTA site once this is complete. When an individual is approved to be a course coordinator, the course coordinator will have access to the narrated PowerPoint presentation slides and will be sent guidance documents that provide a "road map" for assisting participants to successfully complete the program.

NOTE: Participants (Registered nurses, licensed practical/vocational nurses or military medics/corpsmen) are required to complete all of the online modules, to participate in guided discussions held with the course coordinator, to participate in applied learning sessions (skills practice and guided discussion of patient scenarios), and to pass a theory test and a skills evaluation within a three month period.

We realize that there are a number of potential course coordinators who were unable to attend the Train the Trainer sessions at conference. We are therefore planning to provide the Train the Trainer session via a web based program on the WOCN website in August.

Military & VA:
We are exploring the best options for providing this program to all of the branches within the military – which is a key target audience, and we will be working with our military representatives to determine the best approach.

Online Program:
We are currently completing the narrated PowerPoint presentations and the many logistical details that have to be finalized.

We will be sending out a blast email to all WOCN members just as soon as the program is ready for implementation.

Face-to-Face (On-site) WTA Courses:
We realize that there are WOCN Accredited Education Program Directors, Regions and Affiliates, and skilled WOC nurse educators who are interested in providing the WTA course "live" to participants in their area. This will be a major consideration during phase II of implementation of the program. Actualizing this as a benefit for the WOCN member will be a significant consideration. So please stay tuned!

Webinar and Frequently Asked Questions:
To refresh your information or to learn more about the WTA program, please visit the WOCN website www.wocn.org and listen to our webinar about the WTA program or review our frequently asked questions posted on the WOCN home page.

Acknowledgements:
As committee chair, I want to acknowledge the incredibly hard work done by the WTA Committee over the last two years, and I want you all to know who gets the credit!

Phyllis Kupsick, Board Liaison
Phyllis Bonham, WOCN Past President, Ex Officio
Commander David Crumbley, WTA Committee Member
Bonny Flemister, WTA Committee Member
Lieutenant Commander Tracey Giles, WTA Committee Member
Sharon Saim, WTA Committee Member
Brooke Bilofsky, Associate Meeting Manager
Dorothy Caputo, Director of Education

Sincerely,
Dorothy Doughty, WTA Committee Chair