Enlarging the circle of wound care through WOUND TREATMENT ASSOCIATE ®program

The WOCN® Society developed the Wound Treatment Associate (WTA®) online learning program based on strong data relative to noted wound care knowledge deficits among licensed health team members.  In a large academic hospital system, opportunities to optimize evidence based wound care practices exist across many settings.

Under an internal grant process, the WTA® program was adopted to provide standardized education to the wound/skin care team.  The Wound Treatment Associate portal provided data analysis. Select participants are highlighted to denote the WTA® program impact in nontraditional wound care networks.

 Over a two year period, 80 licensed health care individuals completed the WTA® program, 85% were nurses and 15% were other health care individuals. Participants were skin wound team members, case managers, physical/occupational therapists, critical care, acute care, ambulatory  and extended care,adult and pediatric nurses.

The WTA® program expanded to intraprofessional team members in varied health care delivery settings within the health system.  Health team members from the needle exchange van, comprehensive clinic serving persons with addiction, select outpatient clinics, physicians, and enthusiastic physical/occupational therapists promoted a diverse wound treatment caring community.  Wound care practices outside of the wound skin team advanced with WOCN:WTA®  collaborations. A hospitalist spearheaded a research project determining gaps in wound care management in internal medicine. A solo ambulatory nurse expanded her practice and wound care resources in the head and neck clinic. Physical therapists increased involvement in wound care management, prevention and diabetic foot care following the program.  Protocols were implemented for just in time discharge opportunities in vulnerable populations such as those who use drugs facilitating evidence based care from hospital to appropriate ambulatory settings.

The WTA ®program promotes opportunities for WOCN: interprofessional collaboration therefore enlarging the circle of safe wound care in communities without infringing on WOCN scope of practice.