Medical Foot Care
Foot care is skilled nursing care.
Medical foot care combines a nursing assessment, appropriate nail and skin care, prevention advice and a care plan tailored to you. Advanced foot care requires additional education, supervised clinical learning and ongoing competence.
Our medical foot-care appointments focus on foot health; they do not include soaking or nail polish.
What you should expect from your foot-care nurse
- Current nursing registration and relevant foot-care education from qualified educators, including clinical training.
- An assessment of your concerns and relevant health history, with skin, nail, circulation and sensation checks as appropriate.
- An explanation of the proposed care, alternatives, fees and risks, followed by your consent.
- Hand hygiene, appropriate protective equipment, a clean treatment area and properly reprocessed instruments. Reusable instruments requiring sterilization must be cleaned and sterilized between patients according to applicable guidance and manufacturer instructions. Single-use items must not be reused.
- Care informed by evidence, documentation, clear aftercare and referral when your needs exceed the nurse’s competence or scope.
You are welcome to ask about registration, education and how instruments are processed.
Which standards guide nursing foot care?
In Ontario, nurses are accountable to the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO). The Canadian Association of Foot Care Nurses (CAFCN) 2025 Competency Framework describes advanced foot-care nursing competencies. The Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) 2025 Code of Ethics provides national ethical guidance.
These documents have different roles; they are not an endorsement of a clinic or a substitute for a nurse’s registration, competence and applicable provincial requirements.
Learn about instrument reprocessing from Public Health Ontario.
Help us plan your visit
Tell us where the problem is, when it started, what makes it better or worse, and what you have already tried. Bring your medication list and share allergies, diabetes, circulation concerns, reduced feeling, wounds and any previous diagnosis.
Nurses assess within their scope. New or unexplained pain, an injury or a concern requiring a medical diagnosis may need your GP, nurse practitioner or another appropriate clinician before treatment. Call us if you are unsure. Sudden severe symptoms, spreading redness, a new wound or a hot, swollen foot need prompt medical advice.
Extended health benefits and tax receipts
Ask your extended health insurer whether your plan covers foot care provided by your nurse’s registration category, at the location you will attend. Check referral requirements, annual limits and receipt details before booking. Coverage and reimbursement amounts vary.
Keep your receipts. Eligible expenses you paid and were not reimbursed for may qualify for the medical expense tax credit. Eligibility depends on CRA rules, the provider, service and your circumstances; it is not an automatic deduction or a full refund. Ask a tax professional if you are unsure.
Updated October 4, 2026. CNO: nursing assessments.