Smith & Nephew educational grant supports vital role of wound care nurses

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., April 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Smith & Nephew (NYSE: SNN; LSE: SN), the global medical technology business, today announces a new educational relationship with the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society (WOCN®). Through a restricted educational grant, Smith & Nephew is supporting Wound, Ostomy and Continence (WOC) Nurse Week, which honors the care WOC nurses provide to millions of patients suffering from chronic wounds, ostomies and urinary and fecal incontinence.

"Every WOC nurse makes a significant difference in the lives of patients and their families by directing and providing compassionate care," said Patricia Burns, a former WOC nurse and now Vice President of Clinical Affairs at Smith & Nephew. "The WOC nurse requires specialized clinical education to care for the unique needs of these patients. We want to raise awareness of this nursing specialty and the contributions it makes."

There is an increasing prevalence of chronic wounds of all types that encumber patients and health care systems with significant personal and financial burdens. This creates increased demand for WOC nurses, especially as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) transition to value-based purchasing, prompting healthcare facilities to carefully implement best practices and employ specialists to prevent and manage patients' wounds.

A key goal of WOC Nurse Week (April 13 to April 19) is increasing awareness of the pivotal role WOC nurses play in providing optimal patient care in multiple healthcare settings. These include inpatient, outpatient, long-term care and home health. WOC nurses must complete specialized education beyond basic nursing education, including hands-on clinical training and certification.  They share expert clinical skills, help control costs and ensure compliance while working toward improved patient care through positive outcomes, advocacy and the education of patients and families.

"Many chronic wound patients can be cured or at least see marked improvement with skilled treatment, and it's critically important to continue to train and support WOC nurses to provide the necessary standard of care for these conditions," said Burns.

To learn more about the vital role of WOC nurses, please visit http://www.wocn.org.

About Smith & Nephew

Smith & Nephew is a global medical technology business dedicated to helping healthcare professionals improve people's lives. With leadership positions in Orthopaedic Reconstruction, Advanced Wound Management, Sports Medicine and Trauma & Extremities, Smith & Nephew has around 11,000 employees and a presence in more than 90 countries. Annual sales in 2013 were more than $4.3 billion. Smith & Nephew is a member of the FTSE100 (LSE: SN, NYSE: SNN).

For more information about Smith & Nephew, please visit our corporate website www.smith-nephew.com, follow @SmithNephewplc on Twitter or visit SmithNephewplc on Facebook.com

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SOURCE Smith & Nephew Wound Management

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