Team Canada: NSWOCs bring the gold standard to your interprofessional team
NSWOC Week 2025 is fast approaching, and this year’s theme, "Team Canada: NSWOCs bring the gold standard to your interprofessional team," shines a spotlight on the essential role Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy, and Continence (NSWOCs) play in delivering high-quality care to all wound, ostomy and continence patients across Canada.
Why NSWOCs are Essential to Interprofessional Teams
NSWOCs bring an unparalleled level of expertise to the healthcare teams they are a part of.
With their tri-specialization in wound care, ostomy management, and continence care, NSWOCs ensure that patients facing complex, multifaceted challenges receive the highest standard of care possible.
As we celebrate NSWOC Week 2025, it’s important to recognize that NSWOCs are not just providers of direct care—they are leaders in the healthcare system and on interprofessional healthcare teams. Their work goes far beyond patient care, positively influencing interdisciplinary teams through:
Evidence-informed leadership on healthcare teams, guiding decision-making and ensuring cost-effective, high-quality care.
Advanced, specialized approaches to the assessment and management of wounds, ostomies, and continence challenges.
Patient education that empowers individuals and their families to take an active role in their care.
Contributions to research, developing protocols, guidelines, and evidence-based practices that shape the future of healthcare.
The Impact of NSWOCs on Patient Outcomes (taken from the Power of 3 Campaign)
NSWOCs are key to improving the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of healthcare. Studies have shown that home care agencies employing NSWOCs are more likely to see significant improvements in patient outcomes. For example, patients receiving care from NSWOCs experience a notable reduction in pressure injuries, urinary incontinence, and lower extremity ulcers. In fact, pressure injuries are nearly twice as likely to improve, while urinary incontinence shows a 40% improvement, and lower extremity ulcers and surgical wounds improve by 20% to 40% (Westra et al., 2013).
Moreover, NSWOCs help patients with ostomies select the right pouching system, tailored to their needs, ostomy type, and abdominal skin contours, thus preventing complications (LeBlanc et al., 2019). They also play a vital role in preventing continence-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) and incontinence-associated dermatitis, contributing to better overall care and reducing complications (LeBlanc et al., 2019).
The Power of 3: Why NSWOCs Are the Gold Standard
You can access the full Power of 3 campaign online, which also has its own presentation file, social media assets, white paper, and more! Visit https://www.nswoc.ca/powerof3.
Join the Celebration: Share Your #TeamNSWOC Story or Nominate an NSWOC for an award!
As we look forward to NSWOC Week 2025, let’s take the time to express our gratitude to NSWOCs across Canada. Their contributions—whether in direct care, team leadership, research, or patient education—truly embody the gold standard in Canadian healthcare.
We encourage you to join the celebration and recognize your NSWOC colleagues! Share your stories, projects, or recognize someone special by submitting the form below. We’ll feature these NSWOCs and stories on our website or in our newsletter, and you can also nominate an NSWOC for the 2025 NSWOCC Membership Award.
Don’t forget to take part in our social media campaign by sharing a photo of yourself and your colleagues using the hashtag #TeamNSWOC.
Thank you to all NSWOCs for your unwavering commitment to excellence. Your expertise and dedication make a profound difference, not only in the lives of patients but also in shaping the future of healthcare delivery across Canada.
Let’s continue to celebrate and amplify the impact of NSWOCs in our healthcare system!
Download the NSWOC Week flyer and campaign materials now!
Download the flyer!
Click an image to download it.
The NSWOC Power of 3
Many points are drawn from the Power of 3 campaign, which also has its own presentation file, social media assets, white paper, and more! To view the Power of 3, please click the button below.
Activities related to NSWOC Week 2025
Recognize NSWOCs & Nominate an NSWOC for an Award
Want to share an interesting story, project or initiative, or recognize an NSWOC colleague? Submit the form below and we can include it in a featured section on the NSWOCC website and/or in an upcoming newsletter! We would be happy to hear any events, projects, or initiatives you or a colleague are working on. We will make sure to feature it on social media and our website during NSWOC Week.
Want to take it one step further? Nominate someone for the 2024-2025 NSWOCC Membership Award!
The NSWOCC Membership Award recognizes NSWOCC Members who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to the field of wound, ostomy, and continence care. This annual award celebrates Members who embody the spirit of our specialty through their actions, initiatives, service, leadership, and/or resilience.
The award may celebrate those who:
Provide exceptional wound, ostomy, and/or continence care to patients.
Implement innovative workplace initiatives to improve quality of care.
Exhibit outstanding leadership or mentorship to NSWOCs, SWANs, students, and/or colleagues.
Share inspiring stories of resilience or perseverance.
Undertake any other contributions to the field of wound, ostomy and/or continence deemed worthy of recognition.
Nominate them now below!
Join the campaign: Submit your photo
Be a part of our NSWOC Week campaign posts by sharing a photo of yourself and your colleagues in NSWOC gear - a lab coat, “We Will WOC You” T-Shirts, with an NSWOC mug, or any other gear you have!
Share how you are celebrating NSWOC Week using #TeamNSWOC
Leading up to NSWOC Week, and during the week, make sure to use the hashtag #TeamNSWOC so we can follow and re-share how you’re celebrating on social media!
Follow NSWOCC on Social Media!
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