How to Provide Foot Care to a Patient on One Foot

Among the various vital job duties of a CNA, keeping cleanliness of the patient’s body is the one of the major requirements. To keep their body clean and hygienic is imperative for a nursing assistant, so that they could be protected from different infectious diseases and germs. This also ensures the comfort level and safety of the patient.

Similar to the rest of the body care of an ailing person, the care of feet is also significant for them. Our body has the tendency of putting on dirt quite frequently. Therefore, keeping it clean thoroughly is essential on a daily basis. Particularly, the part between the toes must be cleansed carefully every day, so that no infections can be spread. This is again a nursing assistant’s responsibility to clean and check that this area is also tidy.

Before beginning this process, you need to keep everything close by, which you will necessitate during the procedure. The things involved are warm water in a water bowl, one full-size towel, some lotion, two wash cloths and one protection cloth.

Step-wise Procedure to Follow during Providing Foot Care to a Female Patient

Step 1- Proper Washing of Hands
Every time you start any such cleaning activity, washing your hands properly and wearing hand gloves is an essential part of this process.

Step 2- Try To Maintain a Positive Contact with the Patient

• Maintaining direct contact with sick person will help you to accomplish the entire process positively.
• Talk to them politely in a clear voice.
• Keep your pace low to make it convenient for them to understand the instructions clearly.
• Also, maintain the privacy of the patients by pulling the curtains to block the outside view.
• Keep them covered properly.
• Every time maintain a smile while greeting the patient.
• You must introduce yourself positively, before starting the procedure and also explain the patient about it.

Step 3- Check the Essentials before Starting the Foot Care
Always double check that you have brought everything with you, which is vital to conduct the entire procedure without any halt. Place a protective sheet on the bed. Keep the water basin on that sheet over the bed.

Step 4- Confirm the Temperature of the Water
Make sure that the water basin is containing warm water to clean the foot properly, but it shouldn’t be too hot. Let the patient decide, whether the water is suitable to start the cleaning process or not by touching it. If the patient is not in the condition to check the warmth of water for her, then you must do it suiting to her convenience. Now, bend the bed level, so that you will easily continue the foot care process conveniently.

Step 5- Cleaning Process
Do not put the soap directly in the water. As a substitute, apply some soap on the washcloth. Now, start the washing process. Clean foot from the top and reach to the bottom. Do not rub it harshly. Do not forget to clean the area between the foot fingers.

Step 6- Immerse the Foot
Once, your cleaning process is done, dip the feet into the water. This will help in eliminating the soap from the foot completely.

Step 7- Take out the Foot from Water and Let Dry
Now, when the cleaning is done and you can see the spotlessness in the feet, so you can take the foot out from the dirty water and wait for it to dry. Let the top and bottom of the foot dry completely and even the area between the toes.

Step 8- Apply Lotion
Before applying the lotion on the patient’s foot, apply it in your palms gently. No need to apply the lotion between the fingers. Only, spread it on the base and upper surface of the foot. Also, remove the access lotion, which has not been immersed by the skin as it can cause infections.

Step 9- Put on the Socks on the Patient’s Foot
Now, take a smooth and soft sock and get it onto the patient’s foot. While, the process is taking place, you have to be sure of providing some support to the ankle and the lower edge of the patient’s foot.

Step 10- Wrap up the Process by Cleaning the Equipments
Now, pour out the water from the basin, wash it and keep it for drying. Clean all the medical equipments thoroughly and keep it on a proper place to dry.

Step 11- Take the Dirty Linens Away
Take away all the dirty linens from around the patient and place them in a receptacle. Always keep the soiled linens away from the direct contact of the patient’s clothes.

Step 12- Take out the gloves
Now, you can take out your gloves and clean yourself properly, especially the hands.

Step 13- Check the comfort level of the Patient
After, you have completed the task; it’s your duty to check about the patient’s comfort level. Ask her, whether she is feeling relaxed or not. If not, then help her to bring into a restful position. Before leaving the patient’s room, open the curtains to have a soothing view.

Step 14- Check the safety measures 
Also, check whether you have set the bed level back to an appropriate position or not. The calling button should always be within the reach of the patient to avoid any mishappening.

What does the assessor check when you execute this course of action?

When you will be executing this action, the examiner will observe each and every movement very minutely. We are providing a list of such minute steps, which you must remember while doing this task:

1. Do you commence the task correctly or not?
Tip- Before, commencing the procedure, you have to greet the patient politely.

2. Do you let the patient decide the water temperature?
Tip- Before, beginning the washing of foot, it is essential for you to allow the patient to check whether the heat of water is suitable or not.

3. Do you maintain the patient’s privacy?
Tip- During the course of action, it is your responsibility to maintain the patient’s privacy and block the outside view by closing the curtain.

4. Do wash the foot properly or not?
Tip- The examiner will check this thing very carefully, whether all the upper and lower surfaces of the patient’s foot is cleansed well or not.

5. Do you carry and place the equipments properly on the bed?
Tip- First, you need to place the plastic sheet on the bed and then the towel. Lastly, you need to keep the washing bowl on the bed at a side, so that it shouldn’t fall.

6. Do you utilize the protection pad?
Tip- It is significant to use the protection pad at the time of washing the foot of the sick person.

7. Do you soak the foot for adequate time?
Tip- You must soak the patient’s foot for long enough, so that all the dirt can be easily eliminated, while washing.

8. Do you clean the hidden areas between the fingers and toes?
Tip- Cleaning the hidden areas between the fingers gently is a vital part of this foot care process. This avoids infection, so you must not skip this.

9. Do apply the lotion properly?
Tip- You must apply the lotion all over and amid the toes as well.

10. Do you conduct the end procedures appropriately?
Tip- You must not forget to carry out the activities, which is vital to perform at last.

11. Do you make use of the infection control systems?
Tip- While, the process is going on, you have to take care of infection control methods and if required, you also need to take standard precautions.

12. Do you care about the comfort level of the patient?
Tip- Throughout the process, it is essential for you to ask and check that the patient should in a restful manner.

13. Do you maintain the rights of the sick person’s?
Tip- To maintain the rights of a patient is also one of the major steps of this procedure.

14. Do you care about her safety, while giving her foot care?
Tip- You have to keep the patient’s safety on priority, while performing this task.