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These nursing students know how to think on their feet

THUNDER BAY -- A unique program is giving college students a leg up, or in this case a foot up, on their nursing education.
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(Nicole Dixon, tbnewswatch.com)

THUNDER BAY -- A unique program is giving college students a leg up, or in this case a foot up, on their nursing education.

A new Foot Care Nurse program was implemented at Confederation College earlier this year in order to teach nursing professionals in-demand foot care skills.

Not only is the program designed for nurses new to foot care but also for those experienced foot care nurses who wish to advance their skills and knowledge.

Registered Practical Nurse Brette Cain hopes to use the skills to start her own door-to-door business in her home town of Atikokan.

“I’ll be reaching out to the community, going to people’s homes and providing foot care,” Cain said.

She added that her foot care business will provide seniors with easy-to-access services as well as eventually extending her business out to Northern communities who don’t have access to proper foot care.

“You want to take care of people’s feet,” Cain said.

“For people who are immobile and have trouble moving it’s important to get into those places, so they can get the proper foot care they deserve.”

Part two of the program began Friday at Confederation College and provides practical learning opportunities for participants to practice their skills in a clinical setting.

Throughout the day the students were required to do a basic examination on a number of clients with sore feet, diabetes, ingrown toe nails, calluses bunions or ulcers.

“I took this program because there is a need in the community,” Cain said.

“I’m from Atikokan and currents there is a shortage of foot care nurses so I’m doing the program to help the community and help better the health care there.”

Cain added that properly drying your feet is important when it comes to avoiding foot complications as bacteria thrives in moist spaces.

“I want to promote the foot care program among future nurses because there’s a shortage across Canada not just in this area. It’s a growing need among the entire nation.”

Lead program educator Philina Sky said the program is an important step in standardizing foot care education across the province.

“With northwestern Ontario having specific and unique needs in the region,” Sky said.

“We felt that the training should meet the needs through this location and for us to be able customize the course for students going back to their home communities.”

Sky added that smaller communities don’t have qualified foot care nurses to provide services on a regular basis, so this program helps equip the communities to have that in place.

The program encompasses 90-hours of theory, which is done through a partnership with foot care Kingston and the clinical hosted at the college is a 56-hour clinical course.



Nicole Dixon

About the Author: Nicole Dixon

Born and raised in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Nicole moved to Thunder Bay, Ontario in 2008 to pursue a career in journalism. Nicole joined Tbnewswatch.com in 2015 as a multimedia producer, content developer and reporter.
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