Nurse Education
Under construction
Foot and Nail Care Online Course - pending creation and 30 contact hours
To be accredited by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation (ANCC)
This online course will offer 30 contact hours of Continuing Nursing Education, which fulfills the educational requirement to take the Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing Certification Board (WOCNCB) exam to become a Certified Foot Care Nurse as well as the American Foot Care Nurses Association (AFCNA) exam to become a Certified Foot Care Specialist. Continuing Nursing Education specific to Foot and Nail Care is still required by every state if you decide to not pursue certification.
The purpose of this course is to increase knowledge, application, and analysis of content as advised by WOCNCB and AFCNA for competent care as a foot care nurse/specialist. This content is open to view, but may not be copied, redistributed, or adapted.
This course is learner paced. Upon successful completion of the eight (8) modules and quizzes, you may take a cumulative exam for a fee. You will receive a certificate of completion for 30 contact hours with a passing score of 80-100.
Regulations regarding foot care performed by nurses:
Most states have adopted a position that follows the Scope of Nursing Practice Decision-Making Framework. After reviewing your state's Nurse Practice Act and other Rules/Regulations that may prohibit specific actions, if you have not had the education and training, it is not within your scope of practice to perform foot and nail care. Some states require certification, some states require evidence of education and training, most states use the above referenced framework (which calls for education and training), and some states have limited the foot care services that nurses can perform. Contact your state board of nursing for confirmation/clarification. Many states consider this a legal issue and refuse to give specific direction, at least one state requires an order to perform foot and nail care, while another does not allow nurses to perform routine nail care.
Most states do not declare the specifics of what a nurse can or cannot do, but will in cases where it puts the public in danger. The purpose of a state's board of nursing is to protect the public. It is our job as nurses to protect the public as well. Certification Boards have the expertise to determine what concepts nurses should know, or be skilled in, to be considered competent. Regardless of certification requirements, nurses must have education and training. Certification is verification that you are compliant with state regulations and value your clients' well-being.
Below is a list of states and a starting point for your research.
Alabama - Approved Standardized Procedures
Alaska - Advisory Opinions: Scope > Scope foot care
Arizona - Advisory Opinion
Arkansas - Nurse Practice Act and Decision Making Model
California - Understanding the Role of the Registered Nurse
Colorado - Scope of Practice Statements > Scope of Practice Algorithm
Connecticut - Nursing Scope of Practice questions (860) 509-7555
Delaware - Board of Nursing > Scope of Practice
Florida - Petition for Declaratory Statement
Georgia - Scope of Practice Decision-Making Model
Hawaii - Scope of Practice Decision Making Framework
Idaho - Rules of the Board > 04. Practice > a. Perform Acts. (p. 17)
Illinois - State of Illinois Nursing Rules > Joint Committee on Administrative Rules > RN Scope of Practice
Indiana - Frequently Asked Questions > Statutes and Rules and Indiana Administrative Code > Article 2. Standards for the Competent Practice of Registered and Licensed Practical Nursing
Iowa - Iowa Administrative Code pending response
Kansas - NPA by Statute or Rules and Regulations > Requirements for Licensure and Standards of Practice > Standards of practice pending response
Kentucky - Advisory Opinion Statement
Louisiana - Scope of Practice > RN Scope of Practice Guidelines
Maine - Practice > Scope of Practice Decision Tree
Maryland - Proposed Concepts for Possible Regulation
Massachusetts - Advisory Ruling
Michigan - no specific nurse practice act - Public Health Code, Public Health Code (Excerpt), and Board of Nursing - General Rules
Minnesota - Scope of Nursing Practice Decision-Making Framework
Mississippi - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) > Wound & Foot Care > Can a RN perform nail/foot care?
Missouri - Scope of Practice Decision Making Model
Montana - Scope of Practice
Nebraska - Advisory Opinion: Safe Practice: Nursing Roles and Assignments: Competency and Nurse Licensing Scope of Practice
Nevada - Practice Decision Request and Scope of Nursing Practice Decision Making Framework
New Hampshire - Scope of Practice and Position Statement
New Jersey - Decision-Making Model Algorithms
New Mexico - Practice Acts > Nursing Practice Act
New York - Practice Information, requires an order, and restrictions apply, contact NURSEBD@nysed.gov
North Carolina - Scope of Practice Decision Tree, Practice, and Position Statement
North Dakota - Scope of Nursing Practice Decision-Making Framework
Ohio - Practice RN & LPN > RN and LPN Decision Making Model and The Nurse Practice Act - Ohio Revised Code (ORC) pending response
Oklahoma - Guidelines, Position Statements > Decision-Making Model for Scope of Nursing Practice Decisions
Oregon - Interpretive Statements, Policies, and Information Regarding Nursing Practice > All Licensed Nurses > Foot Care Provided by RNs and LPNs
Pennsylvania - Board Laws & Regulations, pending response
Rhode Island - outside nursing scope of practice
South Carolina - Advisory Opinion # 57
South Dakota - Practice and Delegation Decisioning Guides > Scope of Nursing Practice Decision-making Framework
Tennessee - Nursing Practice Code and Rules > Standards of Nursing Competence and Position Statements > Decision making Guidlines (pp. 19-20)
Texas - Decision Making for Determining Nursing Scope of Practice and Scope of Practice Decision‐Making Model
Utah - R156-31b-703b. Scope of Nursing Practice Implementation and Section 801 Practice within limits of competency
Vermont - Position Statements, APRN/RN/LPN Scope of Practice plus Decision Tree, and Nursing Foot Care (retired)
Virginia - Nurse Practice Act and Decision Making Model
Washington - Decision Tree
West Virginia - Scope of Practice for Licensed Nurses
Wisconsin - Standards of Practice for Registered Nurses
Wyoming - Advisory Opinion RN Scope of Practice and Decision Making Model