Nail care restrictions by nursing aides

[bchapin]

I am new to the LTC environment and have a lot of questions that are not getting answered at the facility. I am wondering what other facilities policies are on nursing aides doing nail care. I know I learned in nursing school that toe nail care of a diabetic resident should not be delegated to unlicensed aides. Can anyone share with me their policies on delegation of fingernail care on diabetic residents as well as fingernail and toe nail care for those residents on blood thinners?

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

Toenail trimming was only to be done by the nurses, diabetic or not. The diabetics saw the podiatrist. We were allowed to polish the toenails if they were fungus-free, and if the resident wanted it.

Fingernails were fine to trim. I used to do that after the rt. shower, when they were softer. I filed any rough edges after that, and cleaned underneath. And i also did polish, if they wanted it.

[Soon-to-be-NurseJess]

At my facility we are allowed to trim all nails (as a matter of fact it was part of our job description), but if it seemed too risky to try to trim the toenails we were to inform our nurse and she would call the podiatrist to make an appt. However, at the hospital we did clinicals at we weren't to touch anyone's nails, no matter what.

[TinyNurse, RN]

I remember as a nursing student back in Ohio I provided nail care to a resident. I was told to do so by the RN, and my instructor.

[WannaBRN4]

In SC, nursing aides are able to perform nail care on residents, even polish if asked. I was told in my CNA class that whether the resident was diabetic or you do not clip the nails(finger or toes). They have to see the podiatrist for the toenails. For fingernail care we are to just file the nails down.

[bchapin]

Thanks for the input!

[pkeyrn]

In my 23 years in LTC I have worked at 3 different nursing homes. In all 3 the policy on nailcare was the same: Licensed nursing personnel had to do all nailcare on diabetic residents. CNAs could do any other residents. However, the care of toenails was usually left to the podiatrist who visited regularly.

[lovingtheunloved, ASN, RN]

We do all the nail care except trimming diabetic toenails, or the really thick fungus-y ones.

[sharlynn]

At my facility CNA's can trim nails on anyone except diabetics. Medication aides can do diabetics with an RN' approval. The bath aide does most of it because they are easier to clean after soaking. Polishing is done as an activity.

[Tiffanysmom]

At the facility I work at we can clean under the nails and trim the nails.But if they are diabetic we can only clean under the nail.The in-house podiatrist does all toe nails:saint: