Audrey Wall has been an RN for more than 25 years, and has practiced in a number of capacities including hospital-based surgical nursing, Long Term Care, teaching in the Nursing program at Brock University, and most recently, working within a Family Health Team as a Certified Respiratory Educator/TEACH Certified Smoking Cessation Specialist and Foot Care Nurse.

Foot care nursing has become a passion for Audrey, so much so that she recently left the Family Health Team to open her own foot care clinic, the first one of its kind in Niagara.

Audrey believes in the value of a national association for foot care, and has worked with the Canadian Association of Foot Care Nurses (CAFCN) over the past 3 years in a number of capacities, as well as participating in the group tasked with developing the National Competencies for Advanced Nursing Foot Care in Canada.

In 2017, Audrey’s article Your Feet Tell A Story was published in Canadian SKIN, a quarterly publication of the Canadian Skin Patient Alliance.

Audrey has a passion for excellence in nursing, and is committed to bringing safe, high-quality foot care to Niagara’s residents. Audrey is an RN in good standing with the College of Nurses of Ontario, and a member of the Canadian Nurses Association and the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario.

president@cafcn.ca »

After completing my nursing diploma in 1986 (Victoria, B.C.), I followed my husband in his series of company transfers; working in 3 western provinces, 13 hospitals and in all areas of medical /surgical nursing. Throughout that time, I obtained additional specialized certification in haemodialysis and burn/ trauma nursing. My family and I moved to Devon in 2001 and I began working in adult education as an Instructor in the HCA & PN programs at a local college (Edmonton) and was a staff educator at the University of Alberta Hospital (ACLS). Then I then moved into the role of senior management as the Edmonton branch manager for 2 national home care agencies.

During my years managing in home care, I realized that the foot care needs for high risk, fragile or senior home care clients in the community were a challenge to meet, if at all. Wanting to make a difference while also looking to make a change of pace in my nursing career, I took advanced training in nursing foot care and created my business in 2006.

The feet are the ‘unsung heroes’ of our body; too often forgotten and considered insignificant. But we, as the foot care nurse, consider the feet the appendage that tells a story of client health and their well being.

I feel that the role of the Foot Care Nurse is understated and quite often misunderstood. It is our goal to educate the client, our peers and the public on the multifaceted levels of skill we bring.

The CAFCN is important as it provides opportunity in continuing education and support for the Foot Care Nurse. And moving forward, the progression of a certification process is imperative for our recognition as specialists within the field and to ensure the highest standards of training is in place for those who practice.

vicepresident@cafcn.ca

Michelle De Grandmont is a former graduate of Foot Canada Training’s Foot Care Nurse course. She is currently a Clinical Educator for Canada Training’s Curriculum for clinical courses and advanced skills workshops.

Michelle previously developed the innovative and highly successful advanced diabetic foot care program at Algonquin College and was the instructor for this program up until 2018.

She is a bilingual registered advanced diabetic Foot Care Nurse with over 15 years of experience in the health care sector, specializing in gerontology, acute care medicine, diabetes and holistic healing modalities.

Her company, Soft Soles, provides foot care nursing services in the Ottawa area and supports the employment, mentorship, and training of nurses. She is a frequent best practice speaker. Michelle is a committed member of the Canadian Association of Foot Care Nurses and is currently one of the Ontario Advisors. She has also worked on both the Competencies Document Published in 2017 as well as the Education standards which is a continued project.

secretary@cafcn.ca