Questions about foot care / looking for free foot care CEs

[jeremymgood, BSN, MSN, APRN]

Hi everyone,

I'm a new nurse working in a sub-acute psychiatric unit. I've found that many of my patients don't take care of their feet and toenails. I'm wondering what I can do within the nursing scope of practice without specialized training. While I know I shouldn't cut diabetics' nails, can I cut nasty, fungusy, and curled toenails on non-diabetic patients? So far I've done this for a few patients just with regular toenail clippers. I've watched videos of using other types of clippers that look far more effective, but do I need extra training before using other tools? If so, does anyone have any training they recommend? Free CEs would be nice!

Thanks in advance!

[beekee]

Some are foot care, some are general wound care. Hopefully, you will find what you need for free.

Indian Health Services: Diabetes Foot Care: https://www.ihs.gov/diabetes/training/cmece-online-edu/diabetes-foot-care/ (2 hours, free)

Avera: The ABC’s of Diabetic Foot Care: https://avera.cloud-cme.com/default.aspx?EID=9693&P=3000&CaseID=123 (1 hour, free)

Allied Health Career Training: Foot Care for A Healthy Being: Nursing and The Importance of Foot Care Education: https://alliedhealthcareertraining.com/nursing-ceus/foot-care-for-a-healthy-being-nursing-and-the-importance-of-foot-care-education (1 hour, free)

Medscape has some free CEs, such as: (Medscape has an app for CEs)

• Ask the Onychomycosis Expert: Part 1-Tips for Primary Care Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, and Pharmacists
• Before and After: Patient Cases in Onychomycosis
• Onychomycosis and Diabetes: Patient Case Challenges
• Why Diabetic Foot Ulcers Need Quick Referral

MyCME is another app that has some free CEs, such as:

• Dermatology Clinics and Challenges (monthly series)

North American Center for Continuing Medical Education, LLC: https://www.naccme.com/hmpcme?field_section_tid=All&field_accreditation_value=CNE&field_therapeutic_value=Wound+Care&field_course_format_value=All has many CEs, such as:

• Integrated Treatment Solutions to Manage and Prevent Diabetic Foot Ulcers
• Modern Techniques to Manage Infected Wounds in the Diabetic Patient: Integrating Advanced Technologies to Optimize Healing
• Diabetes and Wound Healing Pathophysiology: An Update on the Safety of Growth Factor-based Therapy for Diabetic Foot Ulcers
• Diabetic Foot Ulcers

Medline University: https://www.medlineuniversity.com/home has free CEs too, such as:

• Identifying, Assessing and Documenting Types of Wounds
• Infection Prevention in Wound Care
• Legal Issues in Wound and Skin Care Across the Continuum of Care
• Legal Issues in Wound Care
• Lower Extremity Ulcers
• Lower Extremity Wounds: Focus on Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) Awareness
• Management and Treatment of the Lower Extremity Wound
• Nutrition and Lab Values
• Prevention: Treatment to Keep the Skin Healthy
• Skin and Wound Assessment
• The Agony of the Feet: Prevention and Management of Diabetic Foot Ulcers
• The Journey to Wound & Skin Care Excellence
• Topical Treatment and Interventions
• Treatment Protocols

Skin Integrity: https://rnbestpractice.com/ (several free CEs on general skin care that may be helpful, such as:

• Prevent & Heal: Complex Care of the Diabetic Patient
• Skin 101
• Prevent & Heal: Wound Assessment & Documentation
• Nutrition for Skin Integrity
• Building a Comprehensive Skin Integrity Program
• Prevent & Heal: Complex Care of the Geriatric Patient
• Take the Load Off - Getting Back to the Basics of Pressure Injury Prevention
• Pressure Injury: Assess, Treat, and Heal

3M Health Care Academy: https://3mhca.sumtotal.host/Core/dash/home (search for free training modules (Difficult to navigate but has some free skin care CEs such as:

• Are We Outliving Our Skin?
• Beyond The Edge-Skin Care Considerations For Lower Extremity Venous Disease
• Phases of Wound Healing
• Skin Health Understanding Factors Influencing the Health of Your Patients Skin
• Anatomy and Physiology of the Skin
• MARSI and MASD-the OTHER Health Care Acquired Skin Injuries
• Tissue Texture Lab

[orro, BSN, RN]

This is great! I've also been looking for some wound care CEUs. This is a great resource.