The WOCN® Fellow Program honors exceptional contributions to the WOCN Society and the WOC nursing profession. Through this prestigious designation, Fellows exemplify leadership, expertise, and dedication, shaping the future of WOC nursing practice and healthcare systems.
We are proud to offer two prestigious designations within the WOCN Society:
- WOCN Fellow: Recognizes nurses who have demonstrated exceptional commitment and made significant contributions to the WOCN Society and the WOC nursing profession. Candidates for this category must be members of the WOCN Society.
- WOCN Honorary Fellow: Honors individuals who have made distinguished contributions to advancing healthcare, science, and health equity within the field of WOC nursing. Candidates for this category are not eligible for a regular WOCN Fellow category (i.e., is not a nurse, is no longer certified, is deceased, is not a member of the WOCN Society, etc.).
WHAT IS A WOCN FELLOW
The WOCN Fellow designation recognizes nurses who have demonstrated exceptional commitment and made significant contributions to the WOCN Society and the WOC nursing profession. Fellows are celebrated for their achievements in areas such as education, research, public policy, advocacy, membership engagement, and quality improvement.
This prestigious recognition is awarded based on a combination of clinical expertise, leadership, scholarly accomplishments, and impactful contributions to healthcare systems. WOCN Fellows continue to inspire and shape the future of wound, ostomy, and continence nursing through their dedication and expertise.
Responsibilities of a WOCN Fellow
- Individuals selected as WOCN Fellows must attend (in person) the induction ceremony that will be held during WOCNext 2026.
- Continue to further the mission, vision, and values of the WOCN Society.
- Mentor novice and other nurses/clinicians to successfully contribute to the growth of the WOC nursing specialty.
- The inductee is responsible for nominating at least one (1) deserving and qualifying individual each year.
- Maintain membership with the WOCN Society and pay the annual Fellow fee by the established deadline and at the rate established by the WOCN Society Board of Directors.
WOCN HONORARY FELLOW
An Honorary Fellow is an individual whose distinguished service to WOC nursing benefited science and healthcare in advancing and promoting health equity and social justice.
The candidate made outstanding contributions to the advancement of the WOCN Society and WOC specialty nursing as evidenced by long-term involvement in national and/or local leadership positions; support and mentorship of WOC nurses; development of innovative programs for support of wound, ostomy, and/or continence practice, and/or
sustained or significant contributions to the evidence base of WOC nursing practice through publications and/or research/evidenced-based projects.
FEES
- Application fee: $275.00 (non-refundable)
- Once inducted, annual Fellow’s dues are $350.00 plus the cost of annual WOCN membership (Society membership is required). These fees do not apply to individuals inducted into the WOCN Honorary Fellow category.
IMPORTANT
DATES AND DEADLINES
- Nominations are due by Monday, February 16, 2026.
- Successful and unsuccessful nominees will be notified by the end of March 2026.
- Inductees will be announced during WOC Nurse Week (April 12-18, 2026).
- Inductees will be recognized during WOCNext 2026 (May 31-June 2, 2026).
PHOTO GALLERY
Scroll through the moments captured from our WOCN Fellow Program, highlighting the exceptional individuals who embody leadership, innovation, and dedication in WOC nursing.
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CONGRATULATIONS WOCN FELLOWS
Visit the WOCN Awards page to view a complete list of WOCN Fellows.