The Role of Footcare Nurses in Foot Lesions Treatment

抄録

　Footcare awareness and practice are limited in Japan, which is attributable to unavailability of specialized podiatry services, in contrast to the Western healthcare system. Japan does not have national educational courses in podiatry and footcare, and daily foot care is not routinely practiced owing to the cultural background. Moreover, medical insurance covers only diabetic footcare, which contributes to the limited popularity of footcare in Japan. Footcare in Japan is provided by qualified nurses (foot care nurses) who are certified by various organizations and societies. Footcare nurses render the following services: (a) Provision of professional footcare after evaluation and patient education for foot self-care. (b) Multidisciplinary coordination between the footcare team. Owing to lack of podiatry services in Japan, a multidisciplinary therapeutic approach to foot lesions is necessary. The footcare nurse coordinates communication of patient information across team members and interdepartmental referrals for effective multidisciplinary therapy. (c) Patient education to improve awareness of footcare. Footcare is not currently widely established as a component of medical and nursing care and patient welfare, and greater awareness regarding its role is necessary. The importance of footcare to maintain healthy walking needs to be emphasized among individuals with foot lesions. In view of the high life expectancy and rapid population aging in Japan, maintaining a healthy gait is essential to improve healthy life expectancy, and foot care nurses can play an active role in the future.