Foot care training

Wound Ostomy and Continence Society (don't throw apples now)... so... they are going to provide certification in foot care? I had not heard that.

Thanks for your input and tolerance.

Night

Hi,

In reality, you are not certified, even in Canada. What you have is a certificate of completion and they are two different things. I have discussed this with Pat Mc Donald who is an LPN and works for the Board of LPN in Mannitoba, CANADA. They are looking into making a real certification process. So many nurses are under the impression they are "certified" when they are not. At least I believe I am correct (99% sure!).

The certification process that is in the works in the US is going to be for RN's with Bachelors degrees. RN's with Associate degrees who are currently working as foot care nurses will be grandfathered in (as I understand it). In the future, any RN who wishes to become certified and is unexperienced in foot care will have to have a bachelor's degree. I have an AS degree and will be grandfathered in. I have been nominated to be one of the nurses on the Exam Committee. If I am accepted I will be one of the first certified foot nurses in the nation. But I am not holding my breath. I should find out very soon.

What you need to do is to go to your state board of LPN and inquire if it is possible to get a certificate program going for LPN's. What you should do is to go to the annual Foot Care Nurse Conference in Mannitoba on the first Monday in October. Hundreds of LPN's in Canada have their own businesses so I do not think you need to worry much. You do need to start thinking about getting a protocol and procedure book together, if you do not have one. Also impecable charting practices and consents. Both professional and general liability policies are a must. You can contact NSO, Nursing Service Organization, for those policies. But go you your board and see what they have to say. Let me know how it goes. I have LPN's working for me, one as an employee and one as an independant contractor.

Hope this helps.

WOCN

Wound Ostomy Continence Nurses OR Wound Care Nurses as they are commonly called. They are a large organization out of Kansas City. They have a WEB site but I do not have it off hand.

Tutti

Nurses can still do foot care who are not certified. Certification is just one avenue for those nurses who like to collect things to put on their walls. Don't get me wrong, certification means that you have had a certain amount of training but it does not mean that is a nurse who is not certified is a lessor nurse than a nurse who is certified. Does that make any sense? In other words, a nurse will be able to take a course, pass a test, but does that mean she can cut nails any better than a non certified nurse who has been doing nails for years. NO! But I guess it is a good idea in the long run. It will be interesting to see what happens over the next several years. I predict that nurses will be doing the majority of routine foot care in the nation. I had this insight about 10 years ago when I was trained by a podiatrist. We have come a long way in 10 years but I think the field will snow ball in the next few years. So don't worry, just get all you legal stuff in order so you do not risk your license.

two books that were recommended by my foot care instructor:

Alexander, I. The Foot. ISBN# 44307656-1

L. B. Harkless & K. Felder-Johnston. (1998) Foot and Ankle Secrets. Hanley and Belfus, Philadelphia. ISBN#1-56053-211-4

Thanks Adrie, I will look at those too. Do you recommend them?



Thanks for the info on WOCN, I reviewed their board and did not see anything specific for Foot Care but like you say it is in the works and probably not on their lisitings yet. Fortunately, my delay on not being on board with this interest, (if I can get it going here in my area), won't hurt me in the long run as I fall within the criteria for certification. I am board certified currently in med/surg (which I found usefull for my Agency Contracting.

I am thinking of going for the Board Certification for Gerontology as I plan to specialize in this population when I can pull it together with my hopefull pursuits in an independent practice.

Thanks to all!

night

Laura,

Thank you so much for all of that information. I have been doing foot care for the past three years, not on my own, but through my employer. I agree about the certificate vs certification. I do have my certificate hanging on my wall because I get so many people asking me, where did you get your training? I called the state board of Nursing once when I started out doing foot care and asked them about laws, regulations for nurses to do foot care, and their were none. I will definitely work on getting all my legal stuff in order as you said. And I will see about getting a certification course for LPN's going. Again, thanks. You have so much information to offer.

Bye for now,

~Tutti~

How lucky we are to be able to support each other in this way.

Thanks to all for this positve and nurturing environment.


((((((Group Hug)))))))))

Night

I am wondering if anyone bills medicare/medicaid for foot care? In the past I've been told that only Doctors can do this. I also once heard that a nurse can bill for services if there is a Doctor within reach. I am in a position where billing for foot care that I do may really save me and need any information I can get. Please, if anyone has any information, I would be forever grateful!

Thank You,

~Tutti~

Foot care is only covered by medicare in very "sick" feet. A person has to have severe PVD, no pulses, or a high risk diabetic with peripheral neuropathy. Infected, painful fungal nails are also covered.

http://hiicap.state.ny.us/medicare/foot_care.htm

This site explains in detail. You have to have a medicare provider number to bill and only MD's, DPM's or NP's can get those. If you work for one of these people and they are on site and the patient qualifies, then the provider can bill medicare.

There are a few obscure insurance policies that cover routine foot care. I have had patients pay me, then send my invoice to their insurance company and get reimbursement. Otherwise, it is strictly cash or check at my company.

Hope this helps.