Ethical Responsibilities

“As a WCC^®, DWC^®, OMS, NWCC^™, AWCC,  and LLE^®, practitioner, I shall, within the scope of my authority”:

• Hold the safety and welfare of patients as my highest goal.
• Promote, advocate for and strive to protect the health, safety and rights of the patients in my care.
• Perform my work with honesty, diligence and responsibility.
• Execute my work according to scientific standards of objectivity, accuracy and integrity.
• Treat each patient in a caring and respectful fashion, mindful of individual differences and cultural and ethnic diversity.
• Protect the confidentiality of all information obtained in the course of professional service.
• Engage only in those services for which I have the necessary knowledge, skills and experience.
• Refer patients to other professionals when specialized knowledge or expertise is needed to serve patients fully or the patient is not effecting reasonable progress with healing.
• Participate on an interdisciplinary care team and contribute to decisions that affect the well-being of patients by drawing on my knowledge, values and experiences.
• Advocate to the public and health care professionals, the importance of risk assessment and prevention of alterations in skin integrity.
• Continue to advance my knowledge and understanding of current and emerging wound care practices through education and training.
• Treat colleagues with respect and represent their qualifications, views and obligations accurately and fairly.
• Respect patients rights to treatment with informed and voluntary consent.
• Respect patients rights to refuse, modify or terminate treatment regardless of prior consent.
• Avoid any interest, activity or influence that might be in conflict with my obligation to act in the best interests of patients or the profession.
• Refuse any gifts or benefits that are intended to influence a referral, decision or treatment and are purely for personal gain and not for the good of the patient.
• Contribute time and professional expertise to activities that promote skin, wound and/or ostomy management education to other healthcare professionals and consumers. These activities may include teaching, research, consultation, service, legislative testimony, presentations to the community and participation in professional organizations.
• Collaborate with other health care professionals and the public in promoting community, national and international efforts to meet needs of wound care and/or ostomy patients.