Survey of Foot Care by Nurses in Cardiovascular Surgery

Abstract

　The purposes of this study were to investigate the implementation of foot care by nurses in cardiovascular surgery, and examine future issues of foot care in surgery. A mailed questionnaire survey was administered to nurses on cardiovascular surgery wards at two university hospitals. In total, 30 valid responses were received（response rate: 66%）. Regarding the implementation of foot care, “observation of foot condition” and “moisturizing” were implemented by more than 80% of the respondents. There were no significant differences between two groups divided by the implementation rate, or between two groups with less or more than 5 years of experience. Regarding the content of observation, “skin tone,” “presence or absence of wounds,” and “presence or absence of edema” accounted for more than 90%, while “corns and calluses,” “signs of infection,” “peripheral hemodynamics, and “foot shape” were less than 10% of the total. Regarding the actual state of foot care among cardiovascular surgery nurses, it was clear that although the implementation rate of foot “observation” was high, it was mainly an observation item related to the postoperative period of the lower extremities, and limited observation or foot care focused on lifestyle-related foot problems associated with the fall risk was performed.