Recently, McDermott Footcare was a guest expert at a community home care information seminar. Here are some of the questions asked by the audience as well as frequently asked questions:
How do I know that a foot care nurse is properly trained? Anyone claiming to be a foot care nurse should be able to show you a Certificate of Completion of an Advanced Nursing Foot Care course. In addition, the RN or RPN should have a current Licence to Practice nursing from a nursing regulatory/disciplinary body. In Ontario, Canada, the College of Nurses of Ontario will be able to verify if the RN or RPN is a professional nurse in good standing with no disciplinary actions against him/her. Only a RN or RPN can take courses leading to certification in Advanced Nursing Foot Care.
Why does the nurse have to take a nursing history/assessment? As RNs and RPNs, we understand that there is a connection between the health of the feet and the health of the body as a whole. Poor circulation and nerve function in the feet affect skin condition, and the ability of the feet to recover from open wounds and infection. Certain medications affect the condition of the nails and skin, causing them to become brittle, fungal, thickened, discoloured, difficult to cut. In addition, some medications decrease the body’s ability to fight infection resulting in fungal infections of the feet. A properly trained certified foot care nurse will be able to satisfactorily explain the correlation between health, medications and feet.
Initial nursing assessment of a diabetic client.
How do I prepare for a home visit from a foot care nurse? Choose a comfortable chair that you would like to sit in for the duration of the treatment. A recliner works best as does a chair with a footstool. If neither is available, the certified foot care nurse can improvise, creating a suitable area to place the feet. One or two fresh towels are useful also. There is no need to soak your feet just before or during the visit.
Using the client’s bed as a suitable work surface.
How long is a visit? The first visit is usually a little bit longer since an initial assessment has to be obtained. Typically, the first visit is about an hour, depending on the foot care needed. Subesequent visits are shorter.
Will you teach me how to care for my feet between visits? An important part of quality professional nursing care includes thorough health teaching. A properly trained, certified foot care nurse should be able to provide appropriate guidelines for self-care of nails and skin between visits. The RN or RPN will also be able to determine if further medical treatment is needed and advise seeing your doctor.
How much does nursing foot care cost? Prices vary between nurses and in different jurisdictions. The nurse may charge a distance fee. Ask the nurse for their fee.
Can I claim this? In Ontario, Canada, nursing foot care is an allowable income tax expense. Some private insurance companies will reimburse up to 80% of cost. Depending on the fee charged, the Department of Veterans Affairs will reimburse all or part of the cost. Always ask the certified foot care nurse for a receipt. Make sure the RN or RPN registration licence is included in the receipt since this is necessary for reimbursement.
Can I have a one-time only appointment? Certainly.
