How long does it take to become a stoma nurse?

Most nurses need roughly four to six years after high school to reach ET nurse practice. That includes earning your nursing degree (two to four years depending on ADN or BSN), gaining clinical experience, and completing a Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing Education Program (WOCNEP), which typically runs about one year. The step by step section above outlines the full timeline.

What is the difference between an ET nurse and a wound care nurse?

An ET nurse specializes in ostomy care, including preoperative stoma site marking, pouching system selection, and long term patient education. A wound care nurse focuses primarily on wound assessment and treatment. Many modern credentials, such as the CWOCN, combine wound, ostomy, and continence care. The earlier comparison section covers these distinctions in greater detail.

What certifications do you need to be an enterostomal therapy nurse?

The most widely recognized credential is the Certified Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurse (CWOCN) designation, awarded by the WOCNCB. You may also pursue a specialty certification in ostomy care alone (COCN). Both require completion of an accredited WOCNEP, qualifying clinical hours, and passing a board examination. See the certification section for full requirements.

How much do ostomy nurses make?

ET nurse salaries vary by location, experience, and work setting, but nationally these roles tend to align with or exceed general registered nurse pay. The salary tables earlier in this article break down compensation at the national, state, and metro levels so you can compare earnings in your area.

Is CWOCN certification required to practice as an ET nurse?

Certification is not legally mandated in most states, but nearly all employers expect it. Holding the CWOCN or a related WOCNCB credential demonstrates specialized competence, strengthens your candidacy, and often qualifies you for higher pay. In practice, certification has become the industry standard for enterostomal therapy roles.

Can you become an ET nurse with an ADN instead of a BSN?

Yes, some WOCNEPs accept ADN prepared registered nurses, so it is possible to enter the specialty without a BSN. However, many employers and certain certification pathways prefer or require a bachelor's degree. Earning a BSN, whether initially or through an ADN programs or LPN to BSN programs bridge route, broadens your job options and supports long term career advancement.

ET Nurse: What They Do, Salary & How to Become One

What you’ll learn in this article…

CWOCN certification requires an RN license plus specialized WOC education.
Most ET nurses complete the full career path in six to eight years.
Certified ET nurses typically earn 10 to 20 percent above generalist RN pay.

Certified enterostomal therapy (ET) nurses earn 10 to 20 percent more than generalist RNs, a premium tied to their expertise in ostomy, wound, and continence care. The term "enterostomal therapy" originates from the surgical creation of an enterostomy, an abdominal opening that diverts urine or stool, and ET nurses guide patients from pre-operative marking through lifelong management.

For patients with colorectal cancer or inflammatory bowel disease, an enterostomy is often life-saving but demands rigorous daily maintenance. ET nurses serve as the single point of continuity, bridging surgery and years of follow-up care. Their work frequently intersects with gastroenterology nursing, given the shared focus on gastrointestinal conditions and surgical outcomes.

Earning the CWOCN credential requires at least 1,500 hours of direct ostomy, wound, and continence care within five years. That experiential threshold ensures ET nurses command both clinical respect and higher compensation across hospitals, home health, and outpatient clinics.

ET Nurse Vs. Wound Care Nurse: Key Differences

Nurses new to specialty practice often use "ET nurse" and "wound care nurse" interchangeably, but they describe different scopes, credentials, and patient responsibilities. Understanding the distinction matters when you are choosing a certification path or deciding which specialist to consult at the bedside.

Scope of Practice

An ET nurse (also called a WOC nurse) is a tri-specialty clinician who cares for patients across three body systems: gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and integumentary. That means stomas, fistulas, draining wounds, pressure injuries, and continence disorders all fall within their scope.¹ A wound care nurse, by contrast, concentrates on skin and wound integrity, both acute and chronic, with a strong focus on pressure injury prevention and dressing selection.²

Credentials and Training

The credential difference reflects the scope difference. ET nurses typically hold the CWOCN (Certified Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurse), which requires formal education across all three specialties through a WOCN-accredited program.³ Wound care nurses commonly pursue the CWCN (Certified Wound Care Nurse), a wound-only credential. Some ET nurses practice at the APRN level; wound care nurses are often staff RNs or designated wound resource nurses without a tri-specialty certification.⁴

Clinical Duties

Ostomy work is the clearest dividing line. ET nurses perform pre-operative stoma site marking, manage post-operative ostomy complications, and troubleshoot complex pouching systems.¹ Wound care nurses generally handle basic ostomy care and refer complex cases to a WOC specialist. On the wound side, both roles assess and treat, but ET nurses layer in advanced therapies and continence interventions that fall outside a wound-only scope.

Care Coordination and Education

ET nurses frequently lead facility-wide WOC programs, develop protocols, and provide formal education to staff and patients across all three domains.⁵ Wound care nurses implement wound care plans, teach prevention and basic management, and consult WOC nurse specialists when a case extends beyond wound and skin. In short: every ET nurse can function as a wound care nurse, but a wound care nurse is not automatically an ET nurse.

What Does an ET Nurse Do? Roles, Duties & Daily Workflow

What does a typical workday look like for an enterostomal therapy nurse?

The morning begins with pre-operative stoma site marking for a patient scheduled for colorectal surgery later that day. By mid-morning, an ET nurse is assessing three postoperative patients, adjusting pouching systems, and documenting tissue health around fresh stomas. After lunch, the schedule shifts to a structured patient education session, teaching a newly discharged ileostomy patient how to empty, change, and troubleshoot their appliance at home. Late afternoon often includes wound rounds with the surgical team, reviewing a complex fistula case, and coordinating discharge planning with social workers and home health agencies.

Core Clinical Responsibilities

ET nurses manage the full spectrum of ostomy, wound, and continence care. Their clinical duties include:

Stoma assessment: Evaluating stoma color, size, edema, retraction, and skin integrity at the mucocutaneous junction
Appliance fitting: Selecting and customizing pouching systems (one-piece, two-piece, convex, flat) to match stoma characteristics and patient lifestyle
Wound debridement: Performing sharp, enzymatic, or autolytic debridement on pressure injuries, surgical wounds, and peristomal skin breakdown
Fistula management: Containing output, protecting surrounding skin, and collaborating with surgeons on closure strategies
Continence program design: Developing bowel and bladder retraining protocols, selecting pelvic floor therapy referrals, and managing fecal and urinary incontinence

National data show that ET nurses typically manage 8 to 12 direct patient encounters daily, spending 40 to 60 minutes per patient.¹ New consultations require closer to 60 minutes, while follow-up visits average 45 minutes.² On busy days, an ET nurse may carry an active caseload of 17 to 21 patients, with 4 to 5 new consults.² Advanced practice WOC nurses average 5.7 visits per day, totaling approximately 1,429 visits annually.³ Direct patient care occupies roughly 5 hours of the workday, with 3 hours dedicated to charting, supply ordering, education material development, and interdisciplinary rounds.¹

The Psychosocial Dimension of ET Nursing

Beyond technical skill, ET nurses address the profound emotional and social challenges patients face. Body image counseling is woven into every teaching session, as patients grieve the loss of normal bowel or bladder function and adapt to a visible alteration in their anatomy. ET nurses facilitate peer-support referrals, connecting newly ostomate patients with United Ostomy Associations of America chapters and online communities. They also navigate sensitive conversations around sexual health, offering practical advice on intimacy, clothing, and appliance security that many patients are reluctant to raise with their surgeons or primary care providers. The psychosocial depth of this role shares common ground with what mental health nurses manage, though the context and clinical focus differ considerably.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

ET nurses rarely work in isolation. They collaborate daily with colorectal surgeons on pre-operative site marking and post-operative complication management. Registered dietitians join care plans to address output consistency, hydration, and nutritional deficiencies. Social workers coordinate insurance approvals for home care and durable medical equipment. Home health teams carry out the care plans ET nurses design, reporting back on patient adherence and emerging skin issues. This collaboration with the interdisciplinary team reduces hospital readmissions and improves long-term quality of life for patients with complex wounds, ostomies, and continence disorders.

Did You Know?

ET nurses often serve as the single point of continuity for ostomy patients, guiding them from pre-surgical education through years of long-term follow-up care. No other member of the healthcare team fills this unique role, making the ET nurse an irreplaceable advocate and resource throughout the patient's entire ostomy journey.

How to Become an ET Nurse: Step-By-Step

Becoming an enterostomal therapy nurse requires a deliberate progression through nursing education, clinical experience, specialized training, and national certification. Most nurses complete this path in six to eight years from the start of their undergraduate degree to earning their credential.

Earn Your Nursing Degree and RN License

The journey begins with a nursing degree. While ADN-prepared registered nurses can technically enter this specialty, most employers and the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing Certification Board prefer or require a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Plan on four years for a traditional BSN program, followed by passing the NCLEX-RN to obtain state licensure. If you are weighing your options early on, reviewing ADN vs BSN can help you choose the right path before committing to a program.

Gain Clinical Experience

Before applying to a specialized education program, you need hands-on nursing experience. Most programs and employers expect one to two years of clinical practice. Time spent in medical-surgical units, oncology nursing, urology, or general wound care provides a strong foundation for ostomy specialty work.

Complete a WOCN-Accredited Education Program

Graduating from a program accredited by the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society is a prerequisite for sitting for the certification exam.¹ These programs, sometimes called WOCNEPs, vary in format and length²:

Cleveland Clinic R.B. Turnbull Jr. MD WOC Nursing Education Program: An in-person option with 120 required clinical hours, based at one of the nation's leading medical centers.³
Rutgers University Camden WOCNEP: A hybrid format combining online coursework with hands-on training, requiring 160 clinical hours. This program holds accreditation through December 2028.⁴
Winona State University WOCNEP: A fully online program spanning 16 credits, accredited through February 2029.⁵

Most programs run one semester to a full academic year and require 12 to 16 credits of coursework. Tuition varies widely by institution and format. Clinical practicum requirements typically range from 120 to 160 supervised hours, during which students gain direct experience with stoma assessment, pouching techniques, and patient education.

Pass the Certification Exam

Once you graduate from an accredited program, you become eligible for the national certification exam administered by the WOCNCB.⁶ Here you choose your scope: a narrower credential like the Certified Ostomy Care Nurse designation covers ostomy care specifically, while the broader Certified Wound Ostomy Continence Nurse credential spans all three specialty areas.

Timeline Summary

Adding these stages together, expect approximately six to eight years from starting college to earning certification:

BSN: 4 years
Clinical experience: 1 to 2 years
WOCNEP: 1 semester to 1 year
Certification exam: A few months for preparation and testing

This timeline can shorten if you already hold a BSN or have relevant clinical experience, or lengthen if you pursue part-time study.

Path From RN to Certified ET Nurse

Becoming a certified enterostomal therapy nurse is a structured journey that builds on your foundational nursing education and clinical experience. Here is the typical progression and approximate timeline for each stage.

Six-step career timeline from BSN through RN licensure, clinical experience, WOCN-accredited education, CWOCN or COCN certification, and optional advanced practice

CWOCN Certification & Other Credentials

Choosing between the experiential pathway and a formal education program represents the first major fork in your certification journey: the education route offers structure and clinical mentorship, while the experiential pathway allows seasoned WOC nurses to leverage their existing practice hours. Both lead to the same CWOCN credential, but eligibility requirements and timelines differ sharply.

Understanding the WOCNCB Credential Ladder

The Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing Certification Board administers five distinct registered nurse certifications. The CWOCN (Certified Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurse) represents triple specialty competence across all three domains. Nurses who concentrate in two areas can pursue the CWON (wound and ostomy), CWCN (wound and continence), or COCN (continence and ostomy). Single-specialty certifications also exist for those focusing exclusively on wound care nurse certification, ostomy management, or continence care. Advanced practice registered nurses, including nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists, may earn the CWOCN-AP or related AP credentials, which layer WOC specialization atop their existing advanced practice scope.

Eligibility Paths to the CWOCN Exam

Two pathways qualify candidates for certification testing. The education pathway requires completion of a WOCN Society-accredited program in each specialty area you intend to certify.¹ Each specialty demands 40 didactic hours, 40 supervised clinical hours, and 20 flexible hours, which can be used for additional classroom or hands-on training.¹ Nurses pursuing the full CWOCN complete three sequential programs, wound, ostomy, and continence, totaling approximately 300 program hours. You must hold an active, unencumbered RN license and a bachelor's degree to sit for the exam.²

The experiential pathway allows practicing WOC nurses to bypass formal education by documenting substantial clinical experience. For CWOCN eligibility, you need 4,500 hours of combined wound, ostomy, and continence practice over the past five years, with at least 375 hours in the last 12 months per specialty.³ You must also complete 150 continuing education credits divided across the three domains (50 per specialty).³ If you have general questions about how continuing education credits work in nursing, the CE/CME FAQs for Medical Professionals resource covers common requirements and tracking practices. The experiential route demands meticulous record-keeping and proof of clinical competence but offers flexibility for nurses already embedded in WOC roles.

Exam Logistics and Passing Standards

WOCNCB exams are computer-based and available year-round at Pearson VUE testing centers.² The CWOCN certification requires passing three separate specialty exams. Each exam uses a scaled scoring system; you need a minimum scaled score of 500 to pass.⁴ Once you submit your application and the board approves your eligibility, you have a 12-month window to schedule and complete your exam(s).² The base fee for a single specialty exam is $395, with an additional $115 for each added specialty.² A nurse testing for CWOCN pays for all three exams upfront.

Renewal and Continuing Competence

CWOCN certification lasts five years.⁵ To renew, you may either retake the full exam battery or submit a Professional Growth Portfolio documenting your continuing education, practice hours, and professional development activities.⁵ The portfolio pathway requires evidence of ongoing WOC practice and participation in specialty-specific education. Regardless of method, renewal ensures that certified nurses maintain current knowledge as wound care technologies, ostomy products, and continence therapies evolve.

Where Do ET Nurses Work?

Where you work as an ET nurse shapes not just your schedule, but the depth and variety of patients you serve. Most nurses entering this specialty imagine a hospital setting, and that picture is accurate for a majority of practitioners. But the landscape is broader and more flexible than many expect.

Acute-Care Hospitals

Roughly 60 to 70 percent of wound, ostomy, and continence nurses are employed in hospital settings. In this environment, the pace is fast and the caseload is wide. An ET nurse might consult on a fresh colostomy in the morning, assess a pressure injury in the afternoon, and educate a patient on catheter care before the shift ends. Hospitals also offer access to multidisciplinary teams, which means close collaboration with surgeons, dietitians, and wound care physicians.

Outpatient Clinics and Home Health

Post-surgical hospital stays have shortened considerably over the past two decades, and that shift is driving real demand outside the hospital. Outpatient wound and ostomy clinics see patients for follow-up care, appliance adjustments, and education that would once have happened during an inpatient stay. Home health agencies take that a step further: ET nurses visit patients in their own homes, which requires strong independent clinical judgment and the ability to work with whatever supplies are on hand.

Long-term care nurses in skilled nursing facilities, rehabilitation centers, and VA hospitals round out the clinical picture. These settings tend to have higher rates of complex wounds and ostomy complications, making specialized expertise especially valuable.

Telehealth

A growing number of ET nurses support patients remotely. Telehealth triage for ostomy product troubleshooting, such as leakage, skin breakdown, or appliance fit concerns, has expanded quickly since the COVID-19 pandemic made virtual visits routine. Remote nursing jobs suit experienced nurses who can guide patients through assessments and adjustments without being in the room.

Industry and Education

Some ET nurses move into roles with medical device and ostomy product companies. These positions typically involve training clinical staff, conducting product evaluations at healthcare facilities, and representing brands at professional conferences. The work is less hands-on with patients but draws heavily on clinical credibility. Nurses in industry roles often serve as a bridge between the manufacturer and the bedside nurse, translating product capabilities into practical clinical guidance.

Questions to Ask Yourself

Do you thrive in the fast-paced environment of hospital-based care, or do you prefer building long-term patient relationships through outpatient or home health visits?

ET nurses in hospitals manage diverse acute cases with rapid turnover, while community-based roles often allow years of follow-up to support ongoing stoma and wound adaptation.

Could you see yourself educating patients, families, or fellow nurses about ostomy care and prevention?

ET nurses frequently become educators within hospitals or for medical device companies, translating complex concepts into practical skills. This path requires a genuine passion for teaching and communication.

Are you willing to invest in advanced certification to become a recognized expert in a narrow but critical specialty?

ET nursing demands rigorous training and the CWOCN credential, yet it grants significant autonomy and the ability to profoundly improve patients' quality of life. Decide if deep specialization fits your career vision.

ET Nurse Salary: National Overview

Because the Bureau of Labor Statistics does not track enterostomal therapy nurses as a separate occupation, salary data falls under the broader Registered Nurses category. ET nurses who hold specialty certifications such as the CWOCN typically earn at or above the upper percentiles shown below, reflecting the advanced expertise required for ostomy, wound, and continence care. The following figures are drawn from 2024 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Pay Measure	Annual Salary
25th Percentile	$78,610
Median (50th Percentile)	$93,600
Mean (Average)	$98,430
75th Percentile	$107,960

ET Nurse Salary by State

ET nurse salaries vary considerably depending on where you practice. Because the Bureau of Labor Statistics groups ET nurses under the broader registered nurses category, the figures below reflect RN compensation data from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program (2024). Nurses holding specialty certifications such as the CWOCN typically earn at or above the 75th percentile for their state, so the upper range gives a useful benchmark for what experienced ET nurses can expect.

State	Total RN Employment	25th Percentile	Median Salary	75th Percentile	Mean Salary
Rhode Island	10,760	$83,870	$99,960	$112,540	$99,770
Arizona	64,430	$81,390	$96,890	$105,450	$95,230
New Hampshire	16,580	$79,720	$96,830	$105,500	$94,620
Maryland	48,980	$81,470	$96,830	$104,840	$96,650
Colorado	54,510	$81,790	$96,520	$104,370	$95,470
Delaware	13,260	$82,600	$92,610	$108,360	$95,450
Texas	261,050	$77,450	$90,010	$102,200	$91,690
Virginia	77,420	$77,650	$88,820	$100,920	$90,930
New Mexico	17,510	$82,630	$88,260	$104,720	$94,360
Pennsylvania	146,840	$78,570	$87,610	$102,030	$90,830
Georgia	97,410	$76,600	$86,560	$104,790	$91,960
Illinois	139,900	$79,150	$86,410	$103,660	$91,130
Idaho	14,540	$78,020	$86,100	$100,220	$89,770
Wisconsin	64,960	$79,570	$86,070	$100,680	$90,450
Michigan	104,210	$80,030	$85,670	$101,210	$90,580
Vermont	7,240	$79,980	$85,150	$104,110	$92,710
Maine	16,280	$76,890	$82,860	$98,000	$87,440
Florida	218,100	$77,070	$82,850	$99,260	$88,200
Utah	25,780	$77,030	$82,270	$101,530	$88,240
North Carolina	108,510	$74,710	$81,860	$98,720	$86,270
Wyoming	5,180	$75,540	$81,790	$100,910	$88,020
Montana	10,540	$77,800	$81,560	$100,510	$88,480
Ohio	138,360	$77,420	$81,250	$97,440	$86,110
Oklahoma	32,870	$75,320	$81,160	$96,460	$85,800
Nebraska	24,180	$76,430	$81,020	$93,140	$82,890

Highest-Paying Metro Areas for ET Nurses

Because federal wage data does not break out enterostomal therapy nurses as a separate category, the figures below reflect registered nurse earnings in major metro areas, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024). ET nurses who hold specialty certification often earn above these medians. The metros are ranked by mean annual salary, giving you a sense of where specialty nursing pay tends to be strongest.

Metro Area	Total RN Employment	Mean Annual Salary	25th Percentile	Median Salary	75th Percentile
San Francisco, Oakland, Fremont, CA	40,750	$178,450	$150,580	$188,020	$212,190
Los Angeles, Long Beach, Anaheim, CA	107,340	$138,010	$108,150	$133,440	$165,290
Seattle, Tacoma, Bellevue, WA	37,250	$120,260	$101,140	$118,570	$132,160
Boston, Cambridge, Newton, MA and NH	66,440	$115,710	$84,200	$102,440	$137,160
New York, Newark, Jersey City, NY and NJ	195,470	$115,650	$100,530	$113,490	$128,430
Minneapolis, St. Paul, Bloomington, MN and WI	40,510	$102,790	$87,670	$102,240	$116,000
Washington, Arlington, Alexandria, DC, VA, MD, WV	43,640	$102,510	$83,570	$101,800	$110,760
Philadelphia, Camden, Wilmington, PA, NJ, DE, MD	74,840	$97,510	$84,040	$99,210	$107,800
Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, TX	72,640	$96,720	$79,170	$98,740	$106,850
Houston, Pasadena, The Woodlands, TX	65,300	$96,730	$79,640	$97,810	$105,970
Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Roswell, GA	54,370	$96,640	$79,700	$96,370	$107,550
Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler, AZ	46,330	$96,220	$82,270	$98,160	$105,900
Chicago, Naperville, Elgin, IL and IN	100,620	$94,580	$81,320	$96,480	$104,730
Detroit, Warren, Dearborn, MI	44,280	$92,680	$81,140	$88,980	$101,880
Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, FL	59,880	$92,070	$78,240	$85,610	$103,110

Worth Noting

The salary figures cited in this article reflect all registered nurses as reported by federal labor data. Certified WOC or ET nurses holding the CWOCN credential typically earn a premium of roughly 10 to 20 percent above generalist RN pay, according to WOCN Society salary surveys, thanks to the advanced expertise their specialization demands.

Job Outlook & Career Advancement for ET Nurses

The demand for enterostomal therapy nurses is shaped by broader nursing workforce trends and several specialty-specific factors that make this a particularly promising career path in 2026 and beyond.

Strong Underlying Demand for Registered Nurses

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 6% growth rate for registered nurses through 2032, with roughly 193,100 annual openings driven by both new positions and replacement needs.¹ While that figure covers all RNs, it establishes a healthy baseline for specialty nursing. Within the wound, ostomy, and continence (WOC) space, demand pressures run considerably higher than the general nursing average for several reasons:

Aging population: As the Baby Boomer generation continues to age, the incidence of conditions requiring ostomy surgery, including colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease, rises sharply.
Rising colorectal cancer rates: Colorectal cancer diagnoses are increasing among younger adults, expanding the patient population that needs pre- and post-surgical stoma education. oncology nurses who cross-train in WOC care are increasingly well positioned to meet this need.
Growth in bariatric surgery: Bariatric procedures can involve complex wound care and occasionally temporary ostomies, creating additional need for WOC-trained nurses.
Shift to outpatient and home settings: Shorter hospital stays mean more ostomy patients are being discharged earlier, driving demand for ET nurses in home health, outpatient clinics, and telehealth programs.

A Workforce Gap That Needs Filling

Industry observers have noted a concerning trend within the WOC nursing workforce. A significant share of currently certified WOC nurses are approaching retirement age, and the pipeline of new entrants has not kept pace. This gap is especially acute in rural communities and within the Veterans Affairs (VA) health system, where many patients require long-term ostomy management. For a broader look at where shortfalls are most severe, the states with the largest nursing shortages illustrates regional patterns that apply directly to WOC specialties. For nurses considering this specialty, the workforce shortage translates into strong hiring leverage, competitive compensation, and geographic flexibility.

Career Progression Routes

ET nursing offers a well-defined ladder for professional growth. A typical trajectory might follow this path:

Staff WOC nurse: Direct patient care and ostomy education in a hospital or clinic setting.
Lead or clinical coordinator: Overseeing a wound and ostomy program, mentoring new staff, and developing care protocols.
Clinical nurse specialist or nurse practitioner with a WOC focus: Practicing at an advanced level with prescriptive authority and greater clinical autonomy.
Director of wound and ostomy services: Leading enterprise-wide programs across a health system, managing budgets, and driving quality improvement initiatives.

Lateral moves are equally viable. Experienced ET nurses transition into academia as clinical faculty, contribute to product development in the medical device and wound care industry, or pursue research roles examining best practices in stoma care and skin health.

Expanding Horizons with Advanced Credentials

Nurses who earn the CWOCN-AP (advanced practice) credential or pursue doctoral preparation, whether a DNP or a PhD, open doors to leadership that extends well beyond the bedside. Achieving Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) status positions ET nurses for clinical faculty appointments, health policy advisory roles, and principal investigator positions on funded research. As health systems increasingly recognize the cost savings that skilled ostomy care delivers through reduced readmissions and fewer complications, ET nurses with advanced degrees are well positioned to shape organizational strategy and national care standards.

For nurses seeking a specialty that combines clinical depth, meaningful patient relationships, and robust long-term demand, enterostomal therapy nursing checks every box.

Frequently Asked Questions About ET Nurses

Below are answers to the most common questions prospective and current nurses ask about enterostomal therapy nursing. For deeper detail on any topic, refer to the relevant section earlier in this article.

How long does it take to become a stoma nurse?: Most nurses need roughly four to six years after high school to reach ET nurse practice. That includes earning your nursing degree (two to four years depending on ADN or BSN), gaining clinical experience, and completing a Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing Education Program (WOCNEP), which typically runs about one year. The step by step section above outlines the full timeline.
What is the difference between an ET nurse and a wound care nurse?: An ET nurse specializes in ostomy care, including preoperative stoma site marking, pouching system selection, and long term patient education. A wound care nurse focuses primarily on wound assessment and treatment. Many modern credentials, such as the CWOCN, combine wound, ostomy, and continence care. The earlier comparison section covers these distinctions in greater detail.
What certifications do you need to be an enterostomal therapy nurse?: The most widely recognized credential is the Certified Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurse (CWOCN) designation, awarded by the WOCNCB. You may also pursue a specialty certification in ostomy care alone (COCN). Both require completion of an accredited WOCNEP, qualifying clinical hours, and passing a board examination. See the certification section for full requirements.
How much do ostomy nurses make?: ET nurse salaries vary by location, experience, and work setting, but nationally these roles tend to align with or exceed general registered nurse pay. The salary tables earlier in this article break down compensation at the national, state, and metro levels so you can compare earnings in your area.
Where do ET nurses work?: ET nurses practice in hospitals, outpatient wound and ostomy clinics, home health agencies, long term care facilities, and rehabilitation centers. Some work for medical device or ostomy supply companies in clinical education or consulting roles. The work settings section above explores each environment and what to expect day to day.
Is CWOCN certification required to practice as an ET nurse?: Certification is not legally mandated in most states, but nearly all employers expect it. Holding the CWOCN or a related WOCNCB credential demonstrates specialized competence, strengthens your candidacy, and often qualifies you for higher pay. In practice, certification has become the industry standard for enterostomal therapy roles.
Can you become an ET nurse with an ADN instead of a BSN?: Yes, some WOCNEPs accept ADN prepared registered nurses, so it is possible to enter the specialty without a BSN. However, many employers and certain certification pathways prefer or require a bachelor's degree. Earning a BSN, whether initially or through an ADN programs or LPN to BSN programs bridge route, broadens your job options and supports long term career advancement.

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