CAFCN Resources
ASSOCIATIONS AND FUNDING
Opportunities for Each Province
Joining a professional organization is beneficial for your own professional development and the future of your career. The connections you’ll make, the resources made available to you and the ideas and advice you’ll discover represent an outstanding return on what amounts to a modest, manageable investment of time, money and effort. It could be one of the best things you do for yourself and your career.
Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Newfoundland & Labrador
Northwest Territories
Nova Scotia
Nunavut
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Québec
Saskatchewan
Yukon
BEST PRACTICE RESOURCES DIRECTLY RELATED TO
Nursing Foot Care
Health Canada Clarification: Laser-Based Medical Devices Are Not Licensed in Canada to Cure Fungal Nail Infections
View Web PageIPAC Canada Position Statement: Reprocessing of Critical Foot Care Devices in Healthcare Settings (revised September 2024)
View PDF
Best Practice Resources Online
- RNAO (Registered Nurses Association of Ontario)
Diabetic foot ulcers: Prevention, assessment and management
- IPAC Canada (Infection Prevention and Control)
IPAC Canada is a multidisciplinary member-based association committed to public wellness and safety by advocating for best practices in infection prevention and control in all settings.
- RNAO (Registered Nurses Association of Ontario)
CLIENT AND PATIENT EDUCATION
Reference Material for Foot Care
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This page from Wounds Canada is designed for patients and caregivers, providing essential information on wound care. It offers resources to understand various types of wounds, tips for effective management, and guidance on seeking professional help.
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This resource from Diabetes Canada focuses on foot care for individuals living with diabetes. It outlines essential practices for maintaining healthy feet, including daily inspection, proper hygiene, and appropriate footwear. The document emphasizes the importance of regular check-ups and provides tips for recognizing potential foot problems early.
Wound Care
Foot Care: A Step Towards Good Health
Conditions Affecting Foot Care
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Wounds Canada provides information about Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD), including its definition, symptoms, and the importance of early detection and management. It outlines how PAD affects blood flow, increasing the risk of wounds and ulcers. It also offers tips for patients and caregivers on preventing complications, managing existing wounds, and when to seek medical help.
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Canadian Society for Vascular Surgery (CSVS) provides an overview of the condition, which involves narrowing of the peripheral arteries, primarily in the legs. It discusses symptoms, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment options.
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Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases among adults in Canada and numbers are rising. Lower limb amputations associated with diabetes are used as a measure of quality and access related to diabetes care, with higher rates suggesting unmet care needs. Evidence of inequalities indicates that amputations disproportionately affect some populations in Canada.
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Diabetes Canada (formerly Canadian Diabetes Association) – This site has all the current best practice guidelines and information and is meant to be used by all health professionals as well as the general public. It is very comprehensive and easy to navigate.
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This Arthritis Talks webinar discusses:
- Managing pain and stiffness in your hands and feet
- Simple exercises to improve mobility and function
- Surgical and non-surgical options for treating arthritis in your hands and feet
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Arthritis Society Canada’s website offers an overview of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic autoimmune condition. It explains the causes, symptoms, and progression of the disease, highlighting its effects on joints and overall health. It also covers diagnosis, treatment options, and management strategies for individuals living with RA.
Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)
Diabetes
Arthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis
NATIONAL COMPETENCIES FOR
Advanced Nursing Foot Care in Canada
CAFCN/ACIISP is proud to present the 2025 Competency Framework, a key document that defines the national competencies for advanced foot care nurses. This framework highlights the essential role of advanced foot care nurses in promoting foot and lower limb health, while also serving as a vital resource for healthcare professionals, policymakers, educators, and other interest holders (e.g., industry partners). The updated competencies will continue to strengthen and clarify the advanced foot care nurse’s role, ensuring it is well-defined and widely understood.
The 2025 CAFCN/ACIISP Competency Framework serves as a practical guide for advanced foot care nursing practice. It is designed to inform and guide key interest holders— including clients, caregivers, primary care providers, industry partners, employers, educators, policymakers, and researchers—about the competencies required for advanced foot care nursing. Developed through a rigorous process, this framework aims to capture the role of the advanced foot care nurse’s role in Canada. It provides detailed information on the purpose, goals, and history of CAFCN/ACIISP, followed by an in-depth description of advanced foot care nursing practice. The framework also outlines the key assumptions, domains, and competencies essential to the field. We encourage all interest holders to engage with the framework and consider how it can be applied within their respective areas.
The Mission of the Canadian Association of Foot Care Nurses is to advance the practice of foot care through collaborative and networking process for all individuals providing foot care. One of our goals is to develop educational opportunities, national guidelines and a certification process for advanced nursing foot care. The National Competencies for Advanced Nursing Foot Care in Canada will provide a platform to move forward to meet our goal of national certification.
As CAFCN continues working towards national certification, we will be working with educational programs across Canada offering nursing foot care education to assist in aligning program outcomes with the competencies outlined in the document, thus preparing graduates for national certification.
If you have thoughts or comments about the competencies, please share them with us by emailing [email protected]
Certification
CAFCN is collaborating with the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) on the certification process for nurses in advanced foot care. The CNA is the primary authority responsible for developing certification programs for nurses across Canada.
Currently no other associations, private programs, or public institutions offer programs in advanced nursing foot care that result in certification.
It is the goal of CAFCN to promote the highest standard of advanced foot care nursing in Canada through supporting the development, implementation, coordination, and evaluation of all aspects of the certification and recertification process. We are working towards this goal and making significant progress in this area. We will update the public and our members as we move forward on this important and exciting initiative.