Put the Toes Back in Head-to-Toe Nursing Assessments: A Descriptive Study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe foot health and foot care needs and demonstrate the feasibility of providing basic foot care for vulnerable populations by nursing students in a community health clinical.

Design: Descriptive study.

Subjects and setting: The sample comprised 41 senior pre-licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing students, along with 72 participants who received foot care in a homeless shelter, transitional housing, or low-income housing for seniors.

Methods: A descriptive study was conducted of student knowledge in foot care assessment, care, referral, and evaluation of care provided in vulnerable populations within the community over 10 weeks. Students demonstrated assessment and care skills of the feet, prior to data collection. The Simplified 60-Second Diabetic Foot Screening Tool1 was used to assess all first-time participants. In addition, a satisfaction survey was completed by study participants.

Results: The referral rate for those receiving foot care was 46% (n = 33), 74% of the homeless population having the highest referral rate for wound or nail care referrals. Overall, participant satisfaction among those receiving foot care was 4.88 on a Likert scale of 1-5.

Conclusions: Foot care is a health care issue among vulnerable populations, especially in the unhoused and senior community. This study highlights the importance of foot health and the need for ongoing assessment in vulnerable populations.