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Nurses' knowledge and perceptions related to foot care for older persons
1Saint Elizabeth Community Health Center, Lincoln, NE 68510.
The Journal of Nursing Education
|February 1, 1991
Summary
Nurses possess strong knowledge of geriatric foot care but lack practical skills. Educational programs need enhancement to address this gap, ensuring older adults receive essential foot care services.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Nursing Education
- Podiatry
Background:
- Foot care is crucial for older adults' health and mobility.
- Nurses play a vital role in providing geriatric foot care.
- Existing nursing curricula may not adequately cover essential foot care skills.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess nurses' knowledge and perceptions regarding foot care for older persons.
- To identify gaps in nursing education and practice related to geriatric foot care.
- To explore the role of different healthcare settings in foot care provision.
Main Methods:
- A survey was administered to nurses across hospital, home health, and extended care settings.
- The Foot Care Survey assessed nurses' roles, patient teaching importance, and knowledge levels.
- Data analysis focused on comparing perceptions and knowledge across different practice environments.
Main Results:
- Most nurses recognized an unmet need for elderly foot care and its importance as a nursing function.
- A significant portion of nurses reported limited foot care mechanics content in their nursing programs.
- Nurses in home health and extended care settings demonstrated greater autonomy in performing foot care.
- Nurses scored highly on knowledge (mean 9.47/10) but indicated a lack of practical skill acquisition opportunities.
Conclusions:
- Nurses demonstrate a high level of knowledge regarding geriatric foot care.
- There is a critical need to integrate comprehensive foot care skills training into nursing education.
- Enhanced training can empower nurses to better meet the foot care needs of the elderly population.
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