Features Overview
“When one’s feet hurt, one hurts all over.”- Socrates
Foot care provided by Registered Nurses (RNs) is a vital service aimed at maintaining foot health, preventing infections, and enhancing overall mobility and quality of life. This care is especially important for individuals with diabetes, seniors, and those with mobility challenges.
Key Services Provided by RNs
Foot Assessment
A comprehensive foot assessment will include both a health history/mobility assessment and physical inspection of the foot. Individuals with certain health issues are at an increased risk for complications arising from improper foot care.
Mobility issues can present several problems for an individual. They often are not able to do their own foot care. Decreased circulation/sensation (feeling) can also be an issue for those with impaired mobility. Arthritis can cause difficulty in preforming your own foot care. Certain medications (e.g. Warfarin); blood thinners; can lead to an increased risk for bleeding. Proper care must be exercised when foot care is provided to these individuals as to prevent injury.
Regular assessments can help identify issues early, reducing the risk of infections and other complications.
Trimming & Filing Toenails
Proper trimming and filing of toenails is vital for preventing serious complications. Those living with diabetes, arthritis, mobility limitations, impaired sensation, or reduced circulation face an increased risk of infection and tissue damage from minor nail injuries. Additionally, conditions like diabetes often cause nails to become thick, brittle, and difficult to manage safely at home. Professional preventative foot care directly addresses these challenges, keeping feet healthy, pain-free, and protected.
Ingrown & Involuted Toenails
Improper trimming and tight footwear are the primary causes of ingrown toenails, where continuing nail growth into broken skin leads to painful swelling and inflammation. In contrast, involuted toenails feature a pronounced downward curve into the nail bed, typically stemming from genetics or physical injury.
If left unaddressed, both conditions can cause painful calluses or corns beneath the nail plate, chronic skin infections, and in severe cases, deep tissue or bone infections (osteomyelitis). Professional assessment ensures safe correction and prevents recurrence.
Diabetic Foot Screening
Individuals with diabetes require routine foot care and regular screenings due to reduced circulation and nerve damage in the lower extremities. Because impaired sensation prevents patients from feeling minor injuries, dry skin, blisters, or calluses, these issues can easily go undetected and escalate into non-healing ulcers or amputation. Regular preventative care enables early detection, safe treatment of high-risk areas, and long-term protection against severe complications.
Treatment for Calluses, Corns & Blisters
Friction and constant pressure are the primary causes of calluses, blisters, and corns. Calluses form slowly as thick, hardened layers of skin over areas of mild, repeated friction, while intense friction creates rapid, fluid-filled blisters. Corns are painful, concentrated plugs of dead skin cells that develop within a callus, usually on the toes or the ball of the foot. Without professional care, these pressure spots can crack, cause sharp pain, or break down into open wounds.