Clinical Tools

Body Worn Absorbent Product Guide

The Body Worn Absorbent Product Guide is an evidence- and consensus-based algorithm for selection, use, and evaluation of body worn absorbent products for the management of individuals with urinary and/or fecal incontinence. This algorithm will help to fill the gap in resources available for first line and WOC specialty practice nurses guiding optimal use of these products.

Sample Reference
Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurses Society. (n.d.). Body Worn Absorbent Product Guide. Retrieved on [INSERT DATE] from https://bwap.wocn.org/#home

Peristomal Skin Assessment Guide for Clinicians

The Peristomal Skin Assessment Guide for Clinicians is a mobile tool that provides basic guidance to clinicians on identifying and treating peristomal skin complications, including instructions for patient care and conditions that warrant referral to a WOC/NSWOC (Nurse Specialized in Wound, Ostomy and Continence).

Sample Reference
Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurses Society. (n.d.). Peristomal Skin Assessment Guide For Clinicians. Retrieved on [INSERT DATE] from https://psag.wocn.org/index.html#home

Peristomal Skin Assessment Guide for Consumers

The Peristomal Skin Assessment Guide for Consumers is an easy to use, mobile tool that provides basic guidance for teens and adults living with an ostomy. It is designed to help identify common skin problems, provide next steps for care or management and appropriately prompt individuals to seek care or support from a WOC nurse or NSWOC. This tool is now available in both English and Spanish.

Sample Reference (English)
Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurses Society. (n.d.). Peristomal Skin Assessment Guide For Consumers (English). Retrieved on [INSERT DATE] from https://psag-consumer.wocn.org/#use-guideline

Sample Reference (Spanish)
Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurses Society. (n.d.). Peristomal Skin Assessment Guide For Consumers (Spanish). Retrieved on [INSERT DATE] from https://psag-consumer.wocn.org/spanish#use-guideline

continuing Education Course

The interactive course, Peristomal Skin Assessment Guide (PSAG): Improving Ostomy Patient Outcomes is offered through the HealthStream platform free of charge and will award 1.0 Contact Hours upon successful completion. This course explains the steps for using the guide to determine the cause or contributing factors to the most common peristomal complications and suggests recommendations for preliminary interventions. If your facility already uses HealthStream, the course can be found under the CE Center.

Venous Leg Ulcers Algorithm

The Compression for Primary Prevention, Treatment and Prevention of Recurrence of Venous Leg Ulcers, an evidence- and consensus-based algorithm, was developed by the WOCN Society in an effort to customize compression therapy for each individual with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI).

Sample Reference
Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurses Society. (n.d.). Venous Leg Ulcers Algorithm. Retrieved on [INSERT DATE] from http://vlu.wocn.org/#home

Support Surface Algorithm

An Evidence- and Consensus-Based Support Surface Algorithm was developed by the WOCN Society in an effort to provide clinical guidance for selecting support surfaces based on individual patient needs for pressure injury prevention.

Sample Reference
Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurses Society. (n.d.). Support Surface Algorithm. Retrieved on [INSERT DATE] from https://algorithm.wocn.org/#home

Additional Support Surface Algorithm Resources
A series of webinars on the Support Surface Algorithm are available for free:

The interactive course, The Right Support Surface for the Right Patient at the Right Time, is offered through the HealthStream platform free of charge and will award 1.0 Contact Hours upon successful completion. If your facility already uses HealthStream, the course can be found under the CE Center.

The Image Library contains an assortment of images related to the care of wound, ostomy and incontinence patients and provides the opportunity to search images, learn about the image, and download for professional and educational purposes. Access to images are a members-only benefit. Images from the WOCN Image Library may not be used for commercial purposes. Login to your membership portal.

Other Resources

AHRQ On-Time Pressure Ulcer Prevention Tool

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has created an On-Time Pressure Ulcer Prevention program to help nursing homes with electronic medical records reduce the occurrence of in-house pressure ulcers.