Ontario Podortho® Nursing Association

We support our Podortho® Nurse members to succeed while they provide
quality client care with a nurses caring approach

The Ontario Podortho Nursing Association values our educational partners who offer advanced post graduate education that considers all Nurses entry to practice competencies to build upon through post graduate studies. Our commitment to high level education for our Nurse students ensures our member Podortho® Nurses have acquired the appropriate theoretical knowledge, skill and judgment and translate this information into clinical practice.

OPNA accredits these advanced foot and lower limb care programs, courses and conferences through a review process to ensure all educational opportunities are made available for students and members. The various programs offered and accredited by OPNA must meet our Podortho Nurse Core Competencies encouraging optimal specialized foot and lower limb care while working within and to a Nurses full scope of practice to meet the advancing and essential needs of the public in Ontario, Canada.

Podortho® Nurses deliver high standards of care that are consistent with the College of Nurses standards of practice following best practice guidelines and professionalism. RN’s, RPN’s or NP’s are well positioned to deliver this specialized care to fill the current gaps that has been well documented as a significant community need in this area of health care.

OPNA recognizes foot care is a speciality area a Nurse can become experts in through high-quality education and skilled training to obtain the competencies required to services our active, growing and aging population. Podortho® Nursing foot and lower limb care delivered at the community level identifies risk thus preventing more serious foot and lower limb complications that can arise from lack of care and support.

Podortho Nurses provide assessments, develop a plan of care, implement treatment protocols, provide client health teaching, communicate with primary care providers and refer to various other regulated health care providers for additional care beyond there scope of practice.

Once Nurses have obtained their Podortho® Nurse training they will receive a one-year complementary membership to OPNA and the permission to use the Podortho trademark title that supports their role within this speciality area of care. Members will also have access to additional complementary education programs provided by our Resource Care Partners (RCP) and member only access to practice documents, forms, resource papers, connection to various industry suppliers and be added to our find a

Podortho® Nurse search for a practitioner tool for clients searching for Podortho® Nurse care in various communities across Ontario.

CNO’s Statement

Nurses practicing in Foot & Lower Limb Care in Ontario, Canada

“Registered Nurses (RNs), Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs) and Nurse Practitioners (NPs) (collectively referred to as “Nurses”) are regulated health care professionals who provide foot care in a variety of care settings, long term care homes, hospitals, CCDC’s, FHTs, physician offices, and in the community in patients home or in private health clinics. Nurses assess patients, provide preventative care and educate and refer patients to other practitioners where necessary. Nurses also provide non-invasive foot care services, such as clipping nails, paring calluses and corns, debriding morbid tissue, treating ulcers, providing wound care, monitoring conditions of the foot, prescribing and dispensing orthotics, and wrapping and bandaging the feet.”

(College of Nurses of Ontario 2014). HPRAC, stakeholder Feedback on the Chiropody/Podiatry Referral: The current Model of Foot Care in Ontario. Part II(b); Other submissions, 54.

“Nurses are accountable for maintaining and continually improving their competence. Continuing competence ensures nurses’ performance ability is advancing in a changing health care environment and contributes to quality nursing practice and public safety”. This applies to the practice of Nursing Foot & Lower Limb Care. This accountability is outlined in CNO’s document Professional Standards – 2022. Further information regarding the specialty area of Advanced competencies for Podortho® Nurses can be found in the Podortho® Nurse Core Competencies document.

VIEW THE PODORTHO® NURSE RESOURCE CARE PARTNERS

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BECOME A PODORTHO® NURSE?

PODORTHO® NURSE REGISTRION REQUIREMENTS

Important Information for Podortho® Nurse Members

Podortho® Nurses are Hiring!

What is Podortho® Nurse?

OPNA Position Statement to Private Health Insurance Companies & Decision Makers

CNO - Expanding the RPN Scope of Practice

CNO - Quality Assurance - Continuing Education & Competencies

Ontario Nurses Scope of Practice-Proposed Changes (CNO, 2022)

VIEW THE PODORTHO® NURSE CORE COMPETENCIES

Podortho® Nurse’s Mandate

The Ontario Association of Podortho® Nurses mandate Is to support members by promoting the role of the Podortho® Nurse in career objectives to work in an interdisciplinary health care setting or independent practice.

Our foot care training courses can easily help our members improve their knowledge of foot care and lower limb care. They will obtain the knowledge needed to treat many different lower limb conditions including diabetic foot care.

Podortho® Nurse’s Practice Statement

Podortho® Nurse’s are Registered Nurses (Registered Practical Nurse, Registered Nurse or Nurse Practitioner (s) who are regulated health care providers that specialize in the field of Advanced Medical Foot and Lower Limb Care. The primary objective of a Podortho® Nurse is to optimize foot and lower limb health, improve client mobility and overall health related quality of life. This is achieved by performing lower leg and foot assessments, which has been known to detect early signs of life-altering diseases or disabling conditions. In conjunction, Podortho® Nurses use the nursing process to diagnose, develop and implement a plan of care, and evaluate patient outcomes, while working as part of an interdisciplinary health care team or independently to provide quality client care.

Podortho® Nursing Foot Care Teaching Mission

The Ontario Association of Podortho® Nurses mission Is to facilitate the integration of the Podortho® Nurse into the public health sector whereby the Podortho® Nurse works in a number of different health care settings including but not limited to, Long term care facilities, clinics, hospitals, home care settings and private practice. Podortho® Nurses assess patient’s health care requirements of the lower limb and foot and treat the entire body focusing on the physical, emotional, and spiritual side of each individual patient.

Podortho® Nurses support and facilitate patient education regarding their general health and conditions and how it relates to their foot health teaching preventative measures to reduce foot and lower limb complications.

Podortho® Nurses utilize their advanced skills and extensive nurse training, knowledge and skills to specialize in quality foot and lower limb care focusing on patient centered concerns working alongside other disciplines or in independent practice.

Our Podortho® Nursing Foot Care Education Vision

To certify Registered Nurses and Registered Practical Nurses with the title Podortho® Nurse who have specialized in post graduate studies of foot and lower limb care though continued education initiatives.

To make recommendations to educational facilities to increase the level of education for Nurses specializing in Foot and lower limb care through continuing education initiatives.

Recommend training for Registered Nurses and Registered Practical Nurses who wish to specialize in Foot and Lower limb care to private educational facilities and, community colleges standardizing a minimum 180-hour nursing foot care training courses.

To educate the public and advance provincial and national recognition of the Podortho® Nurse through the appropriate channels of legislation.

To lead Registered Nurses and Registered Practical Nurses to best practice in foot and lower limb care within their role allowing that to broaden with the continued changes in health care within our governing body encouraging best practice educational initiatives.

To decrease the barriers presented to Foot Care Nurses in the industry that are providing care to their patients.

To support Nurses to become more recognized for their respected education in Nursing and specialty area of foot and lower limb care as regulated health care providers.

WeRPN Nursing Week 2022 - Day 2

Erin King, CEO of Feet for Life Medical Foot Care Ltd., will teach participants how to optimize foot and lower limb health and improve client mobility and overall health-related quality of life. Topics covered include performing lower leg and foot assessments using the nursing process to diagnose, develop and implement a plan of care, while working independently or as part of an interdisciplinary health care team to provide quality client care.

Our Association Would Not Succeed Without Our Supporters

Our Resource Care Partners are dedicated to the advancement of the Podortho® Nurses profession

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