Status and Challenges of Foot Care for Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis at Our Hospital

MASAI Shizuka

doi:10.18970/footcare.103

<p>In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), several joints become inflamed, and swelling and pain affect daily life, resulting in reduced self-care abilities in many cases. Ingrown nails and calluses due to foot deformities increase the risk of wound development. Furthermore, as drugs for RA treatment reduce immune defense mechanisms, precautions against infection are required. Based on these findings, we placed importance on foot care for RA patients. Our nurses began to perform foot care for RA patients after the opening of a center for rheumatism and collagen disease within the hospital. During the approximately 1-year period from December 2016, they performed a total of 149 foot care sessions for 42 RA patients; nearly 80% of these patients received foot care several times during this period. Foot care mainly consisted of foot observation, foot baths, nail-cutting, callus/corn treatment, and guidance for home care and shoe selection. When performing daily foot care, the nurses listen to patients to clarify changes in their physical conditions and life histories, collect information regarding methods to coordinate care and the status of care support, and consider each session as an opportunity to understand how the patient lives while coping with rheumatism, a chronic disease. The provision of foot care to RA patients by nurses is of marked significance. At the same time, collaboration with other professionals to perform such care may also be important, and the establishment of systems to provide it for a larger number of patients may be a future challenge.</p>

Status and Challenges of Foot Care for Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis at Our Hospital

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