CWON - Certified Wound Ostomy Nurse

Certified Wound Ostomy Nurse (CWON) board certification validates knowledge and clinical skills of the registered nurse with specialized training or experience in wound and ostomy care. The Wound ,Ostomy and Continence Nursing Certification Board (WOCNCB) offers the exam, accredited by the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC). 

Eligibility Requirements

• Current licensure as an RN

• Completion of a bachelor’s degree or higher

• Completion of one of the following requirements:

  • Traditional Method: Graduate from an accredited Wound, Ostomy, Continence (WOCN) Nursing Education Program within the last five years

  • Experiential: Completion of 1,500 direct patient care hours (375 must be completed in last year) and 50 CE hours in both specialties (wound care and ostomy care) within the last five years

The Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing Certification Board (WOCNCB) provides a list of accredited nursing education programs on its website.

The WOCNCB recommends that candidates review the Examination Handbook before applying. Candidates must supply evidence of nursing license, education transcripts, CE certificates and supervisor verification when applying online.

Completion Time: Candidates have 4 hours to complete two exams

Cost: $510

Course/Exam Format

The CWON examination  process consists of two exams, each having 110 scored questions and 10 unscored questions. Scores are scaled according to their degree of difficulty and minimum passing scores are criterion-based, meaning there’s no set percentage or number of questions that guarantees a passing score. 

Candidates seeking multiple certifications through the WOCNCB may schedule one 4-hour testing session. Alternatively, candidates may schedule two 2-hour sessions for a surcharge of $75.

Candidates receive printed results upon completion of the exam. They may also log in to Results to retrieve their outcomes. Candidates should receive Pass/Fail results from Scantron. Topics on the two tests include: 

• Wound Care

  • Assessment and Care Planning - 35.5%

  • Intervention and Treatment - 40%

  • Education and Referral - 24.5%

• Ostomy Care

  • Assessment and Care Planning - 32.7%

  • Intervention and Treatment - 40%

  • Education and Referral - 27.3%

• Go to the  “WOCNCB Candidate Access Portal”

• Create an account

• Select the appropriate certifications

  • Wound Standard

  • Ostomy Standard

• Click “Start Application”

• Be prepared to enter information about the applicants:

  • Practice setting

  • RN license

  • ADA requirements

  • Specialty education

  • Continuing education

  • Specialty clinical experience

  • Employment information

  • Eligibility

Candidates receive an email with further directions. Options include online or in person testing at one of over 450 U.S. and Canadian locations or over 200 international locations.

CWON certification is valid for five years. To renew the certification, nurses must fulfill the following items:

• Current certification through the WOCNCB

• Current RN licensure

• Completion of certification exam

  • Go to “Recertification Exam”

  • Sign in with the login credentials provided by WOCNCB

  • Complete the recertification application

  • Schedule exam for each specialty

Alternately, they can complete the requirements within the Professionals Growth Program (PGP). The PGP is an online portfolio that allows nurses to record CE hours, professional memberships, publications and other specialty-related activities to recertify in place of the exam. Applicants must submit a total of 80 PGP points to meet the requirements for recertification with 10 CEs in the clinical specialty. 

Candidates may select “PGP” or “Exam” for each specialty.

Renewal Fee: $510

Renewal applicants must complete 10 continuing education hours in their clinical specialty. 

The WOCNCB has resources available to prepare for the CWON exams, including the WOCNCB Exam Candidate Handbook.

Certifications for the licensed nurse

• Wound Treatment Associate-Certified is ideal for LPNs/LVNs knowledgeable and experienced in wound care (WTA-C)

Certifications for the registered nurse:

• Certified Wound Care Nurse is ideal for RNs with advanced knowledge and experience in wound care (CWCN)

• Certified Ostomy Care Nurse is ideal for RNs with advanced knowledge and experience in ostomy care (COCN)

• Certified Wound Ostomy Nurse is ideal for RNs with advanced knowledge and experience in wound care, ostomy care and continence care (CWOCN)

• Certified Continence Care Nurse is ideal for RNs with advanced knowledge and experience in incontinence care (CCCN)

• Certified Foot Care Nurse is ideal for RNs with advanced knowledge and experience in foot care (CFCN)

Advanced Practice (AP) designations are also available:

• Certified Wound Care Nurse is ideal for APRNs with advanced knowledge and experience in wound care (CWCN-AP)

• Certified Ostomy Care Nurse is ideal for APRNs with advanced knowledge and experience in ostomy care (COCN-AP)

• Certified Wound Ostomy Nurse is ideal for APRNs with advanced knowledge and experience in wound care and ostomy care (CWOCN-AP)

• Certified Continence Care Nurse is ideal for APRNs with advanced knowledge and experience in incontinence care (CCCN-AP)

• Certified Wound Ostomy Continence Nurse is ideal for APRNs with advanced knowledge and experience in wound care, ostomy care and continence care (CWOCN-AP)