Becoming a CWCA® will help you:
Examples: LPNs, LVNs, PTAs, all certified healthcare assistants, healthcare administrators, dietitians, sales and marketing professionals, and academic researchers.
The National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) granted accreditation to the American Board of Wound Management Certified Wound Care Associate (CWCA®) for demonstrating compliance with the NCCA Standards for the Accreditation of Certification Programs. NCCA is the accrediting body of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (formerly the National Organization for Competency Assurance). The NCCA Standards were created in 1977 and updated in 2003 to ensure certification programs adhere to modern standards of practice for the certification industry. The American Board of Wound Management joins an elite group of more than 130 organizations representing over 315 programs that have received and maintained NCCA accreditation.
In compliance with National Accrediting Standards, the ABWM does not provide review materials for the Certification Examination. It is the responsibility of the candidate to prepare by any means they feel are appropriate. The link below provides resources previous candidates have used to prepare for the certification exam.
View the outline below by expanding the list. You may view the results of the National Job Task Analysis Study of the CWCA®, CWS®, and CWSP® here.
A. Anatomy and Physiology
1. Integumentary
2. Musculoskeletal
3. Vascular
4. Neurological
5. Lymphatic
6. Other systems (e.g., endocrine, renal, respiratory, immunologic)
B. Wound Healing
1. Phases
2. Cell function (e.g., signaling proteins, cellular mediators)
3. Acute vs. chronic
A. History
B. Physical examination
C. Wound and skin assessment
D. Pain assessment
E. Risk assessment
F. Functional assessment
G. Laboratory/Imaging/Biopsy
H. Nutrition
A. Wound bed preparation/debridement
B. Dressings
C. Cellular and/or tissue products for wounds
D. Topical agents
E. Complications in healing (e.g., biofilm management, infection, systemic factors)
F. Nutrition
G. Biophysical technologies
1. Electrical stimulation
2. Ultrasound
H. Compression therapy
I. Negative pressure wound therapy
J. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
K. Pressure redistribution (i.e., offloading)
L. Surgical closure or tissue transfer
M. Case review (e.g., analyzing labs/imaging, outliers, prognosis, synthesis of data)
A. Neuropathy
B. Diabetes
C. Venous insufficiency
D. Ischemia
E. Pressure related wounds
F. Lymphedema
G. Trauma
H. Surgical/surgical procedure
I. Atypical etiologies (e.g., malignancy, medication-induced)
J. Dermatological
K. Infectious
L. Burns
M. Edema (i.e., systemic vs. local)
N. Pediatric Issues
O. Inflammatory
A. Documentation/legal concepts
B. Patient adherence (e.g., socioeconomic factors, ability to comply, patient education)
C. Reimbursement and medical economics
D. Medical ethics (e.g., palliative care, reasonable expectation of outcomes)
E. Multidisciplinary teams
F. Epidemiology
G. Evidence-based practice and research
A1 Ensure proper cleaning of examination rooms between patients (e.g., OSHA guidelines, sanitation, infection control)
A2 Disinfect equipment
A3 Perform safe patient handling techniques
A4 Assist in obtaining health and medication history
A5 Obtain recent nutritional history and needs
A6 Take and monitor vital signs
A7 Photograph the wound
A8 Assist with ensuring aseptic or sterile techniques for procedures
A9 Set up equipment for procedures
A10 Prepare wound for procedures (e.g., cleansing, removing dressings, topically anesthetize)
A11 Assess, or assist with assessing blood flow (e.g., perform Doppler, check pulses, Ankle Brachial Index)
A12 Assess, or assist with assessing for risk of pressure wound development
A13 Assess, or assist with assessing level of pain
A14 Assess, or assist with assessing edema (e.g., limb circumference, volume)
A15 Assess, or assist with assessing functional status (e.g., ambulatory status, mobility)
A16 Assess, or assist with assessing skin (e.g., for color, swelling, and temperature)
A17 Assess, or assist with assessing wound and periwound characteristics (e.g., stage, partial vs full thickness)
A18 Assess, or assist with assessing sensory function (e.g., monofilament testing, vibration testing)
A19 Identify psychosocial barriers (e.g., cognitive, financial, religious/cultural)
A20 Assess and describe wound characteristics (e.g., tissue type, measurements, amount of drainage, type of drainage)
A21 Apply, or assist with appropriate dressings
A22 Apply, or assist with compression wraps and stockings
A23 Apply, or assist with barrier products
A24 Remove, or assist with staples or sutures
A25 Apply, or assist with offloading systems
A26 Assist with application of cellular and/or tissue products
A27 Assist with biopsy
A28 Assist with or perform negative pressure wound therapy application or removal
A29 Assist with or perform debridement
A30 Assist with or perform culture/aspiration
A31 Assist with or perform wound irrigation or cleansing
A32 Assist with or perform biophysical technologies (e.g., electrical stimulation, ultrasound)
A33 Provide education or demonstrate an understanding of offloading and/or pressure relief
A34 Provide education or demonstrate an understanding of wound care protocols rationale
A35 Provide education or demonstrate an understanding of therapeutic interventions (e.g., dressings, wound products, negative pressure, compression systems)
A36 Provide education or demonstrate an understanding of medication reconciliation
A37 Provide education or demonstrate an understanding of lifestyle changes (e.g., smoking cessation, diet, nutrition)
A38 Provide education or demonstrate an understanding of disease process
A39 Provide education or demonstrate an understanding of diagnostic testing
A40 Provide education or demonstrate an understanding of skin care
A41 Provide education or demonstrate an understanding of pain management
A42 Provide education or demonstrate an understanding of universal/standard precautions
A43 Provide education or demonstrate an understanding of positioning and mobility
A44 Document patient information (e.g., medications, progress, billing, photographs)
A45 Coordinate wound care with supervisor and other team members
A46 Consider financial implications of selected interventions
A47 Follow confidentiality and security regulations
A48 Read current literature on wound care trends
A49 Recognize strength of evidence related to research
A50 Adhere to professional ethical guidelines
Find the answers you need in our list of frequently asked questions for the CWCA®, CWS® and CWSP®.
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