Nursing foot care should be fully covered by Saskatchewan insurance companies.

Health promotion and prevention has been and continues to be the main focus of healthcare professionals. What I feel this means is helping people change their lifestyles to move toward a state of optimal health. Strategies used to increase a sense of well-living and to decrease episodes of illness can occur at any age and to anyone. This will help decrease the exorbitant costs patients, insurance companies and governments have to spend on the care received.

Footcare problems have a negative impingement upon many aspects of health and wellbeing, especially when they compromise the ability to devote themselves to be responsible for activities of daily living, social isolation, and mobility.

While foot problems can occur in all ages, their prevalence increases with age. Approximately 80% of the elderly suffer from fairly common issues from corns, calluses, dry feet, bunions, deformities, toenail disorders, and fungal infections. Failure to treat not only the common foot care problems listed above, but also more advanced conditions such as peripheral arterial disease, vascular disease, amputations, and neuropathies will increase the chances of other health conditions worsening, thus causing increased unnecessary strain on the health care and insurance system.

The feet play a crucial role in balance and mobility because of their complex structures. Depending on local services and policies, appropriately trained healthcare workers may carry out the assessment and treatments. Chiropodists, Podiatrists, General Practitioners, Homecare Nurses, Foot Care Nurses, Diabetes Educators, Orthopaedic Surgeons, Certified Pedorthist, Certified Orthotist, Certified Prosthetist and Rehabilitation Physician are among these trained. A comprehensive assessment on the patient’s health and current foot condition can help us, as a healthcare team, to identify any existing problems while providing recommendations for future care. If there’s a need for more specialized care, referrals by any healthcare team member are made to the appropriate healthcare professional for further treatment.

Foot Care Nurses have received vigorous training and are able to provide the most advanced techniques in foot care which are not limited to callus and corn removal, ingrown nails, nail trimming, and filing, full professional assessment of the patient’s foot condition, identification of potential foot health problems and appropriate care to prevent infection and providing education for ongoing self-care and selecting appropriate footwear.

I became a nurse in 2003 and have cared for patients in hospitals, long-term care, and home care settings. As I saw the need not only for diabetics but for all ages to take pride in caring for their feet, preventing further issues, and helping to save them money from further treatments, travel, and accommodations that could arise I took the advanced foot care nursing course. Living in a remote area and enduring an increase in expenses during this time does not allow easy access for patients to travel and see other healthcare professionals, thus they are neglecting their health. Offering my services as a first line of defense has given my patients the opportunity to put themselves as number one. Most of their concerns are able to be addressed right in their home town or a nearby community and when needed a referral to the appropriate healthcare professional is made.

Many of the above healthcare professionals have the opportunity to offer receipts that their patients submit to their insurance companies to assist them in getting the best first line of defense. It may cover all their costs or a portion but the rest can be submitted on income tax. When it comes to areas of travel, accommodations, fixed incomes, and other daily necessities I am not able to offer this to my patients simply because of my nursing title. Some insurance companies I spoke with will only offer coverage to RCMP, Veterans, and Canadian Forces. Many who have spoken to me have expressed concern that unless they have my fee covered quickly after their treatment their health will continue to be a burden and are unable to put it as number one. I ask that the insurance companies offer full coverage for all who pay into benefits, despite our nursing title because we are working together as a team, which will help all people change their lifestyles toward a state of optimal health.