Foot care training

Carrie,

I sent you a private message re: the course I took in Ontario. But I'm sure that's not the only one. There are several classes to take on foot care in Canada, but at least this one was a private course, therefore shorter in time length. Check your PM for details.

~Tutti~

http://aofas.org/cde.cfm?event=34577

Here is the site of a foot care course that looks interesting. It is in New Orleans in May. Check it out.

http://www.educators2000plus.com/kfacourse.htm

Here is the site of another diabetic foot course. Looks like this Physical Therapist travels around the country giving this course. No hands on nail training, but might be a good foundation for those weak in the diabetic foot area.

http://www.care-ed.com/footcare.asp

Here is another site. It is amazing what you come up with if you just do a general internet search using the words foot care course. Do that periodically and you will come up with intersting information. Every September, there is a foot care course in Seattle, at least I think so. If you work for an institution with a good library, you can have the librarian do a search for you on foot care. That is how I go started on my self study program 10 years ago. There are a lot of very good articles out there written by nurses (and other professionals too) There is a lot of information out there, you just have to dig! It is like a treasure hunt. Happy Hunting :hatparty:

Great looking seminar! Ouch on the price! I wish I could sign up today and go tomorrow!

Thanks for the info.

night

All look like great opportunities! Am thinking hard on this one! Thanks to all.
Carrie

This is taken from a newletter put out quarterly by the Wound Ostomy Continence Certification Board.


"The WOCNCB is very enthusiastic about moving one step
closer to a new foot and nail credential, the CFCN, which
stands for Certified Foot Care Nurse. This credential will
validate the knowledge and competencies of nurses caring
for patients at risk for complications related to the foot. When
the credential is ready to be offered, the WOCNCB will have
spent a significant sum of money and a great deal of time to
develop a legally defensible exam for the CFCN.
When the Foot & Nail Advisory Panel met on September 14
with experts in exam development from the WOCNCB’s
testing firm, Applied Measurement Professionals (AMP), they
learned just how costly and labor-intensive a new examination
can be. For those of you who have never been involved in
exam development, you would likely be surprised at the
amount of time and effort involved. Here’s a brief overview
of what’s required to deliver the final product of a legally
defensible certification exam.
A “job analysis” is the first step in creating any new WOCNCB
certification exam. To compile a job analysis, the WOCNCB
convenes a panel of practicing individual “experts” from
across the country to write a job analysis survey. The survey
items are developed as the panel discusses the necessary skills
and knowledge required for safe practice. The survey is then
sent to nurses who practice foot care, requesting them to fill
out and return the survey to AMP. After the survey results
are compiled and analyzed by the testing firm, the advisory
panel will again meet in person to discuss the results. A major
focus of their discussions is whether practice patterns of
survey respondents reflect what is considered to be “standard
practice.” Each survey item is then discussed by the advisory
panel. The returned surveys are then compiled, categorized
and analyzed by the testing firm. The test content will
subsequently be a reflection of practice patterns from
information collected in the job analysis.
The job analysis phase of examination developments costs
between $20,000 to $30,000, including survey printing and
postage. Add to this an estimated $1,100 for per-person
travel expenses for the five to six people on the panel, plus
two AMP representatives for each of the two meetings, and
the total cost for this phase comes to $33,200 to $43,200.
The second phase of test development will occur once the
test content or blueprint is developed. During phase two, an
examination committee is formed. The examination committee
is faced with the challenging task of developing test items.
All items on the exam must meet specific requirements before
they are added to the item bank. Ideally, the item bank"


The exam committee is what I am on and I just returned from a meeting in Kansas City.

www.ocncb.org (I think!) is their web site. Keep checking for updates. All I can tell you now is that they are shooting for early 2005 for test availability and ANY RN is eligilble. This is the only certification they have that an Associate Degree RN can take. There will be other eligibility requirements, so keep looking at their web site.

Very exciting stuff is happening here!
:hatparty: :hatparty:
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I was wondering if those of us who do foot care, do it full time? I have been doing it about 3x a week. My employer would like to see me do more, but I'm beginning to worry about things such as carpal tunnel (sp?). I usually see about 10 clients a day where I work, but twice a month I travel to a place where I see up to 20 clients. After a day like that, I ache from head to toe, and my hands hurt. Not to mention my back. Maybe I'm not using proper body mechanics. I am worried that something will happen and someday I won't be able to do this anymore. That would be sad. I hope not though.

Good point. I do about 40 clients a week on average for the past 5 years. This is spread out over a 3 1/2 day period. I have more upper back and neck complaints and get massages when I can. I also use up to 2-3 sizes of nippers per client (4" fine for ingrowing and small nails up to double action 6 1/2 " for thick nails, and every size in between) so am frequently changing the position of my hands. I have never had wrist problem but my back is getting to me. I am now giving new clients to my associates and going to spend more time on educational programs. It is a challange to find the balance that is right for you. Is there anyone else in your organization that does nails? If not you may want to suggest that so you have back up. You might also see a PT and get some excersise and stretching routines going. Good luck.

Laura,

Very good suggestions! Thank you. We do have a massage therapist at work which we get a discount for (if I could only find the time). We also have a PT who I could get some ideas from. Have you ever seen a chiropractor? I think the best thing is to limit myself to part time. Thanks for responding!