Medical Foot Care

Description

Advanced footcare is a nursing service focused on the assessment, prevention, and management of foot and lower-limb concerns within the practitioner's individual scope of practice and competence. An individualized foot and lower-limb assessment is completed before treatment to identify the client's foot-care needs, relevant health factors, risks, and suitability for the proposed intervention. Based on the assessment, care may include appropriate management of nails, calluses, corns, and other foot-care concerns that are within the practitioner's education, competence, and authorized scope of practice. Footcare interventions are selected according to the client's assessment, evidence-informed practice, applicable professional standards, infection-prevention requirements, and the practitioner's education and competence. Where findings are outside the practitioner's scope or require further medical assessment, treatment may be deferred and the client referred to an appropriate health-care professional. Advanced footcare may be particularly appropriate for clients who require specialized foot assessment and care because of health conditions or risk factors. Treatment does not replace medical or podiatric assessment where such assessment is indicated. Appropriate infection-prevention and control practices, equipment reprocessing procedures, documentation, informed consent, and follow-up processes are used for all care provided.