Hospital Association of Southern California (HASC) Initiates Plan to Improve Wound Care and Pressure Ulcer Prevention

Los Angeles, CA ― April 27, 2010 ― The Hospital Association of Southern California (HASC) and Wound Care Education Institute (WCEI) will join forces to significantly reduce the incidence and severity of pressure ulcers among patients served by Southern California’s hospitals, long-term care providers and home health agencies.  By offering the skin and wound management course with the WCC^® certification exam, their goal will be to improve specialized wound care education, skills and certification of nursing staff, and to dramatically expand the pool of talent available to hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities and home health agencies trained in the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers.  HASC member hospitals, in partnership with the Health Services Advisory Group (the California QIO), are working to accelerate improvement in wound care and pressure ulcer prevention through the Southern California Patient Safety Collaborative.  This collaborative is part of Patient Safety First… a California Partnership for Health which is funded by Anthem Blue Cross.

A four-day skin and wound management training course followed by the WCC certification examination will be offered at three locations in Southern California. The WCC certification, offered by the National Alliance of Wound Care® (NAWC®), provides an added credential beyond licensure and demonstrates by examination that the practitioner has acquired a core body of specialized knowledge.

• July 26-30

VA Hospital, Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System

11301 Wilshire Boulevard

Building 500, room 1281 (first floor)

Los Angeles, CA  90073-1003

• July 30-August 3

Glendale Adventist Medical Center/Adventist Health

1509 Wilson Terrace

Glendale, CA  91206-4098

• November 15-19

MemorialCare Health System, Corporate Offices

17360 Brookhurst St

Fountain Valley, CA 92708

Licensed California hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities and home health agencies within the Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, Ventura and Santa Barbara areas may submit an application for employees who meet the following criteria:

• Applicant must be a current employee of the facility submitting the application.
• Applicant must hold an active, unrestricted license as Registered Nurse or Licensed Practical Nurse.
• Applicant must include documentation demonstrating that wound care has been a component of his/her job duties two years or more of the last five years.

Only qualified applicants within the designated areas are accepted for participation and the HASC course fee.  Participants will be required to attend all four days of the training class without any absences.  Participants or their organizations will be responsible for travel and lodging of participants, if necessary.

Instructions

1)      Complete the course application.

2)      Submit completed application along with $2,297 course fee to Wound Care Education Institute.  Make checks payable to Wound Care Education Institute or complete credit card section of the application.

3)      Applicants will receive notification of acceptance by email or phone within two business days of receiving application.

About the Hospital Association of Southern California

HASC’s mission is to lead, represent and serve hospitals, and work collaboratively with other stakeholders to enhance community health and safety. Our member hospitals are in the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara and Ventura.

About the Wound Care Education Institute

The mission of the Wound Care Education Institute is to develop multi-disciplinary wound care professionals in the United States by offering educational programs and clinical support, based on up-to-date wound care research, trends, and evidence-based practice. The Wound Care Education Institute offers a comprehensive skin and wound care training program at locations throughout the United States.

About NAWC

The NAWC is a non-profit organization, dedicated to the advancement and promotion of excellence in wound care through the certification of wound care practitioners. NAWC is the largest professional wound care credentialing and membership organization in the United States. The NAWC is among an elite group of more than 90 credentialing organizations that have received and maintained National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) accreditation. For more information about wound care certification, visit the website at www.nawccb.org.

Contact Information:

HASC Contact: Catherine Carson

ccarson@hasc.org

213-538-0789

515 South Figueroa Street, Suite 1300

Los Angeles, CA  90071

www.hasc.org

WCEI Contact: Mike Grivas

mike@wcei.net

847-732-3785

1700 Park Street, Suite 100

Naperville, IL  60563

www.wcei.net

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