Who is a Foot Care Nurse?

This program is offered to better prepare licensed nurses to care for the feet of their patients.  “I hire nurses in my office and have to train them to work with the feet of my patients,” says Dr. Robert Spalding, DPM. “It would save me a great deal of time if they were appropriately prepared to work safely in a podiatry setting with at-risk patients.”

The Certified Foot Care Nurse (FCN) is an already licensed nurse that has completed the Medinail Learning Center’s Certification Program. The program consists of seven modules of advanced information online designed to prepare these professionals to work safely on the feet of the patients of podiatrists or other physicians, and in resident facilities. “Working with feet is different than working with the rest of the body,” says Dr. Spalding. “Patients with diabetes and other immunosuppressant illnesses require specific care that, if performed poorly, can have serious consequences.”

After completing the modules, the student takes the exams online then, after passing is required to experience a one week Internship in under the direction of a participating Podiatrist or other physician. This experience enables the student to participate in the practical skills discussed in the course, those needed for working in a medical office or health facility. This program is five days long on-site in the podiatry office; the student learns a specific list of skills to prepare him or her to work with the feet of patients who are immunocompromised.

The Certification is awarded after the online program exams have been passed and the internship is completed with a sign off on the skill participation by the podiatrist or physician.

For Tuition Information click here

For more information on the Program, call Janet at 863-635-1224 or email to janet@medinails.com

Internship

The FCN internship is five days with a participating podiatrist. We can aid the student in finding a podiatrist in the home area that is willing to provide this practical experience. Those students already working in a facility with a podiatrist on staff has great resources for a participating podiatrist and those already working for a podiatrist can ask their employer to participate in their Internship. The podiatrist will be provided a curriculum which must be followed. After the internship, the podiatrist signs off the skill log is completed.

The Internship contains exposure to a list of skills and then the student works the remainder of the days in the office or facility to instill the skills. There is a cost for the Internship (see Tuition) though many podiatrists and facilities provide the Internship free for an FCN that works for them or that they intend to hire.

What is special about a Certification program?

A certification program is far more than mere attendance. A certification program requires the passing of exams to certify that the participant has learned the required information. A good certification program goes even further and requires the completion of extensive hands-on learning in an Internship, and sign off of completion of the requirement by an expert in the skills.

In the Certified Foot Care Nurse (FCN) Program exams confirm the student has learned the relevant information and the Internship provides important experience in the specific skills that will be required of the professional in his or her real world work setting.