If you need help studying for the Wound Care Certification (WCC) exam or just want some more information about what the test is like, you’ve come to the right place.
Click below to take a free WCC practice test!
What’s on the Exam?
How to Register
Exam Scores
Retaking the Exam
Online Wound Care Certification Prep Course
FAQs
Exam Eligibility
Before you can register to take the Wound Care Certification exam, you’ll need one of the following licenses: RN, LPN/LVN, NP, PA, PT, PTA, OT, OTA, MD, DO, DPM, or AP.
You’ll also need to meet ONE of the education requirements and ONE of the experience requirements:
- You need to graduate from a skin and wound management education course
- You need to have a current CECN, CWON, CEOCN, or CWS certification
Experience Requirements
- You need at least 120 hours of hands-on clinical training
- You need at least two ears of full-time (or four years of part-time) experience in an approved profession in relation to wound care
If you meet the necessary requirements, you’re set to begin the registration process!
What’s on the Exam?
First, let’s talk about the questions on the exam. There are 110 multiple-choice questions total, but only 100 of the questions will count toward your score. Why is that?
The 10 unscored questions on the Wound Care Certification exam are called “pretest” questions. These are added to the exam to determine if they’re good enough questions to add to future versions of the test.
The trick is that you won’t have any way of knowing which questions are scored and which ones are pretest. They will appear just like the scored questions throughout the test.
The time limit for the exam is 2 hours. There aren’t any scheduled breaks, but you’re free to take restroom breaks as needed.
Let’s take a closer look at the different sections of the WCC exam.
1. ASSESSMENT
27% of the exam
- Wound etiology and status
- Lab results
- Nutritional status
- Psychosocial history
- History, current medical condition, and co-morbidities
- Patient pain
- Risk assessments
- Cognitive and functional status
- Structures and functions of normal and abnormal skin
- Skin integrity
2. TREATMENT
25% of the exam
- Wound treatments
- Appropriate and cost-effective dressings and resources
- Adjunctive therapies
- Further diagnostics
- Appropriate support surfaces
- Referrals
- Product categories and their functions
- Steps for wound bed prep and management
- Signs and symptoms of infection
3. RE-EVALUATION
16% of the exam
- Treatment choices
- Treatment effectiveness
- Tolerance of treatments
- Adherence to treatment plan
- Progression of wound healing
- Phases of wound healing
4. EDUCATION
7% of the exam
- Educating patient and families in treatment plan and goals
- Educating interprofessional team members
- Determining the patient’s health literacy
5. ADMINISTRATION
7% of the exam
- Evidence-based protocol recommendations
- Treatment plan recommendations based on facility processes
- Development of educational media for staff and patients
- Collecting and analyzing data
- Collaborating with other entities
6. LEGAL
6% of the exam
- Documenting wound characteristics and treatment plan
- Identifying legal and regulatory issues
- Applying legal concepts to the wound care practice
7. RISK AND PREVENTION
12% of the exam
- Risk and prevention for impaired skin integrity
- Identifying preventative measures
- Indications/contraindications for products or treatments
- At-risk populations and appropriate interventions
How to Register
Once you’ve ensured that you meet all of the eligibility requirements, you can register for the exam.
To get started, you’ll need to submit an application on NAWCO’s website. The application will ask you for your contact information and any documentation to prove your eligibility (among other things).
When you submit the application, you’ll also need to submit the testing fee, which is $380.
WCC Study Guide and Flashcards
Get practice questions, detailed study lessons, and complex subjects broken down into easily understandable concepts.
Exam Scores
The test is scored using a scaled scoring method. Here’s how it works:
You will need a score of 600 to pass the test.
The reason your raw score is converted to a scaled score is because everyone who takes the WCC exam is given a slightly different set of questions. Since everyone has a different arrangement of questions, and because some questions are harder than others, converting your raw score to a scaled score ensures a more even playing field.
Retaking the Exam
If you didn’t get a passing score on your first try, that’s okay! You can take the test three more times within the next two years. After that, you’ll have to wait a full year before trying again.
Keep in mind that you will have to pay the full testing fee every time you retake the test.
Online Wound Care Certification Prep Course
If you want to be fully prepared, Mometrix offers an online WCC prep course. The course is designed to provide you with any and every resource you might want while studying. The WCC course includes:
- Review Lessons Covering Every Topic
- 550 WCC Practice Questions
- More than 300 Digital Flashcards
- Money-back Guarantee
- Free Mobile Access
- and More!
The WCC prep course is designed to help any learner get everything they need to prepare for their Wound Care Certification exam. Click below to check it out!
FAQs
How many questions are on the Wound Care Certification exam?
The exam contains 110 questions.
What is the time limit for the Wound Care Certification exam?
The exam is timed at 2 hours.
What is the passing score for the Wound Care Certification exam?
You’ll need to get a final scaled score of 600 to pass.
How much does the Wound Care Certification exam cost?
The testing fee is $380.
