Published
Hi there,
Gosh I am so excited to be done with my footcare course that I attended in San Diego through Shelly Taylor! The course was awesome and I learned alot. Now just passing the test. I have formed my LLC and am thinking of ways to get my business going. I would just like a few clients-my goal is 30 a month as I am also a staff RN at the local hospital here. I would like to hear about success stories from other footcare nurses and the services you offer and a price range? I am thinking along the lines of $45-$60 per home visit. Anyways, I got discouraged talking to another nurse who said the podiatrists in town were going to not like the idea, and that it would be difficult getting fee for service being unable to bill medicare. I almost didn't go to my course actually because it really bugged me. I am thinking that if I will pay 40 for a pedicure and have to drive there, why wouldn't someone pay for their mom or their selves to have footcare in the home? So, I am thinking that I might do some probono stuff at the alf/snf and checkout the diabetes clinic here in town. maybe the free drs clinic as well. I'm feeling that refferals is going to be a large part of my business as well so rounding up a team of who I know. Please tell me about your footcare biz and if you have struggled getting it going? the good, thebad, the ugly please! thanks
Have you presented them with the idea, that your fees are probably less than Podiatrists? Mabe if you can get the idea across that your services are equal to the Podiatrists, that the almighty $ can sway them? Perhaps offer something that they don't?Can you combine foot care and diabetic teaching, foot care, etc? Make yourself stand out from the others.
I combine diabetic teaching, self care, fungal management etc as a routine part of my service. I also use facebook a lot. If you register with Linkedin you will also get contacts. Some supply companies take names of foot care nurses and list them too.
Hey Bizi
Pedicare is a company that sells Susol products which are kits you can use on individuals and use only for them.
Hi stepnurse01,
I am not pursuing relationships with podiatrists. Sadly, the Board of Podiatry does not seem to be open to coordinated care with nurses. They seem more suspicious than anything else. Interestingly, so far, my clients are either nurses or parents of physicians and were found via non-medical homecare companies and word of mouth. So that's where I will spending my marketing $ and effort in the near future. For now, I am concentrating on recovery efforts re: Sandy. Until then, my biz is on hold.
Hi stepnurse01,I am not pursuing relationships with podiatrists. Sadly, the Board of Podiatry does not seem to be open to coordinated care with nurses. They seem more suspicious than anything else. Interestingly, so far, my clients are either nurses or parents of physicians and were found via non-medical homecare companies and word of mouth. So that's where I will spending my marketing $ and effort in the near future. For now, I am concentrating on recovery efforts re: Sandy. Until then, my biz is on hold.
yes pods are intimidated by our work, trimming toenails is their bread and butter. sorry about you're having to clean up after sandy. good luck with that. What a shame, so much destruction.
bizi
When I first researched this business idea, I assumed that I would have to register or notify the Dept. Of Health about my foot care practice. It turns out that I did not. Apparently, the fact that I am an RN and governed by the Board of Nursing, it is assumed that I'm qualified (as foot care falls well within the scope of nursing as ADLs). To be sure I didn't miss anything , I created my LLC through Legal Zoom who researches all that is required for your particular state. As it turned out, all I needed was a business license and nursing license (I added business insurance). The biz license does not need to be renewed every year according to my State Department. You just need to make sure that you renew insurance every year and nursing license every two years.
I guess that the Board of Nursing and the Department of Health could investigate a nurse if a complaint generates it. Other long standing foot care nurse practices report never hearing from DOH. However, count on being investigated by Boards of Podiatry who are suspicious of CFCNs in business. They are worried that we are practicing medicine without a license. That "inquiry" alone is enough to generate the investigation that takes place by the State Department (it's never generated by patients...they LOVE us). Ultimately, I think some podys are more worried about protecting their turf (really their bread and butter ). No biggy though...State department Bureau of Investigations and enforcement just visit you OR you get "invited" to visit them with proof of credentials, policy and procedures, and eidence that you are using the nursing process. If anyone cares to know how I prepared for my investigation, just PM me. I received a letter in the mail last week clearing me of practicing medicine without a license. JEEz, I guess some think you need a doctorate to do basic foot care
.
WEll I met with the lawyer and he wrote up the LLC documents pretty simple I signed he notorized and I paid a fee, he will file it with the city, it should be a done deal within a week. then I can start up a new business account at the bank. The womens small business center is helping me to do this. they are also helping me to spice up both my website and face book page. She created a logo for me, a beautiful swan! I would post a link to my website but am afraid to reveal that much personal information on this public site. PM me if you are interested in seeing it.
bizi
sallyspring
72 Posts
Don't just think of seniors. There are many people who need foot care/pampering to the level that a pedicurist cannot provide. In Canada, I don't think that they can work on diabetic feet. What about the US?