3rd Virtual Conference
Saturday, October 24, 2026 // 09:00 to 16:00 EST
Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy & Continence Canada
Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy and Continence (NSWOCs) and Skin Wellness Associates (SWANs) can help alleviate the financial strain facing administrators and policymakers through the provision of higher quality care, reduced costs and improved outcomes for patients. Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy and Continence Canada (NSWOCC) is a registered charity association for over 500 tri-specialty nurses specializing in the nursing care of patients with challenges in wound, ostomy and continence. That’s the NSWOC Power of 3.
NSWOCC acts in the public interest for Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy and Continence to give national and international leadership in wound, ostomy and continence promoting high standards for NSWOC practice, education, research and administration to achieve quality specialized nursing care.
Learn more at http://nswoc.ca/powerof3/
Products and Services
The Power of 3
One nurse, three specialties.
As healthcare spending in Canada continues to climb, pressure on healthcare administrators to deliver cost-efficient care is intensifying—and policymakers are ever-more focused on ensuring quality and system sustainability. Wound, ostomy and continence challenges are common across all Canadian healthcare settings—and their management places a financial burden on the healthcare system. Registered Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy and Continence (NSWOCs) can help alleviate the financial strain facing administrators and policymakers through the provision of higher quality care, reduced costs and improved outcomes for patients.
Become an NSWOC!
The WOC Institute’s flagship program is our Wound Ostomy and Continence Education Program (WOC-EP). The WOC-EP is a state of the art, paced, 12-month, online program which prepares BN/BScN’s for the role of a Nurse Specialized in Wound, Ostomy and Continence (NSWOC). The final exam for the program is the Canadian Nurses Associate (CNA) certification exam, which, upon achievement, enables the NSWOC to use the credential WOCC(C).
The WOC-EP is a competency and standards of practice guided, rigorous program, aimed at insuring the high quality of its graduates. Through the CANMeds styled, competency-based preceptorship component of the program, the WOC-EP strives to mentor and grow tomorrows nurse leaders. NSWOCs graduates are among the nursing elite. They demonstrate an advanced level of critical thinking, clinical skill and leadership qualities. The advantage of NSWOCs’ tri- specialization is especially clear when patients have needs that require more than one area of specialty.
Skin Wellness Associate Nurse (SWAN) Program
The Skin Wellness Associate Nurse (SWAN™) Program is geared towards RPN, LPN and Diploma RNs who want to advance their knowledge in the areas in Wound, Ostomy and Continence. Upon completion they will be eligible to use the SWAN designation.
The Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy and Continence Canada (NSWOCC) Wound, Ostomy and Continence (WOC) Institute, developed the Skin Wellness Associate Nurse (SWAN™) Program in response to the growing need in Canada for healthcare professionals with advanced wound, ostomy and continence knowledge. The NSWOCC and WOC Institute developed the paced online SWAN™ education program as a means to support and empower NSWOCs and improve clinical outcomes by enhancing wound, ostomy and continence care teams. The SWAN™ program prepares non-specialty nurses to provide basic, bedside wound, ostomy and continence care.
Skin Health – Practice Enrichment Series
New in 2021, the Skin Health – Practice Enrichment Series includes competency based, beginner programs in wound, ostomy and continence, intermediate skills labs and advanced programs. The courses are state of the art, self-paced online programs which are facilitated by a team of CNA certified NSWOCs. Onsite programs are available upon request. Contact the NSWOC through our contact page should you be interested in accessing our onsite education delivered by specialized NSWOCs.
Beginner programs are 6 weeks, self-paced online. Learners will be directed through a series of modules designed to provide foundational knowledge in the areas of wound, ostomy or continence. The courses are unique in that students will have access to virtual mentorship and knowledge consolidation opportunities with our team of CNA certified NSWOCs.
Advanced Wound Debridement Program
The competency-based, advanced debridement course is designed by nurses for nurses and follows the Canadian best practise recommendations for nurses.
The primary objective of this program is to provide learners with advanced theoretical knowledge pertaining to all aspects of debridement. Learners are encouraged to seek out mentorship opportunities within their work environment and to work within their scope of practice.
At the end of this program learners will have advanced debridement knowledge beyond the WOC-EP/ SWAN programs.
The program will be self-paced online with access to virtual mentorship and knowledge consolidation opportunities with our team of CNA certified NSWOCs. An annual workshop will be held during the NSWOCC National conference. Enrolment will be limited.
