Competence
Velvet Foot Care on Salt Spring Island BC is founded and operated by Cara Birkeland, RN, BSN, CFCS (UBC, CAFCN, AFCNA). She is a Registered Nurse, member of the Canadian Association of Foot Care Nurses, also certified by the American Foot Care Nurses Association, with the title Certified Foot Care Specialist (sometimes also called Podiatric Nurse).
She has been nursing since 1989, with the majority of her career working with the elderly from bedside care to health care management.
Cara is keen to continue her learning and determined to be informed about the latest innovations and discoveries in Foot Care.
She loves the contact with her clients and believes they deserve the best possible care.
Nurses are used to care for patients. They know a broad range of health conditions. Foot Care Nurses are required to have additional education and special training to help with Foot Care concerns.
They will assess and monitor foot health, keep medical records, will identify early problems, network with other health professionals and refer to them if necessary.
Healthy feet are important to all aspects of our life, but it becomes increasingly important as we age.
We serve many elderly clients, but also younger people that have feet with complications that require special care, for example recovery from toe injuries.
Foot care is about healthy feet. Prevention or early identification of complications is as important as treating health conditions.
Many people choose Nursing Foot Care for this reason, sometimes only for checkups in certain intervals, while still looking after their own feet.
Doctors refer patients to us for foot care, but a referral is not necessary.
No. Professional Nursing Foot Care should not be a painful experience.
Quite the opposite - good Nursing Foot Care is a safe and soothing experience. Many clients are tempted to doze off during treatment.
Modern tools allow very accurate filing even of difficult nails, and a gently humming burr is making rough skin smooth again.
Sometimes some slight discomfort or a tickling sensation may occur. No medical treatment can guarantee that absolutely no pain is
ever experienced, but any pain during Nursing Foot Care would be rare and exceptional.
Contact us for a question or how we may be able to help you with your concerns.
Please see the List of Footcare Services here, or contact us for a question of how we may be able to help you with your foot health.
Registered Nurses (RN, 4 yrs with Bachelors Degree) or Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN, 2 yrs training) need to be in good standing and require additional training for Foot Care in order to work in this capacity.
Verify the current annual licensing status of a RN or of a LPN at the British Columbia College of Nurses & Midwives (BCCNM).
Sometimes a Public Advisory is issued about unauthorized practice or disciplinary issues (see also Certification and Professional Standards).
The relevant organizations are the BC College of Nursing Professionals and the Canadian Association of Foot Care Nurses.
Additional certification is possible with the American Foot Care Nurses Association (AFCNA) as a Certified Foot Care Specialist (CFCS, sometimes also called Podiatric Nurse).
