PSA for Nurses Considering Foot Care Training in Ontario

Alright nurses, let’s shine a big bright spotlight on something that’s been happening across the province — because you deserve the truth before you hand over your hard-earned money.

Ontario is getting absolutely flooded with foot care courses right now. And on the surface? Sure — more options look great.

But here’s the problem nobody wants to say out loud:

Not all of these programs provide actual hands-on training.Worse — many don’t provide an educator, mentor, or even a trained supervisor to watch you perform advanced skills.

And that’s not “just the way it is.”That’s unacceptable.

Foot care isn’t a spectator sport.

You can’t learn reduction of thick toenails, ingrown relief, callus debridement, fissure care, or safe rotary-tool use by clicking through slides or being sent out into the world to “figure it out.”

These skills require:✔ A real patient✔ A clinical environment✔ An educator trained to supervise✔ A client who can speak, respond, and tell you what hurts and what doesn’t

Because you cannot learn safely on someone who:

Can’t consent
Can’t describe pain
Can’t give a history
Can’t tell you when something isn’t right

That’s not just risky — it goes completely against CAFCN National Standards and everything the CNA is building toward with the 2026 Foot Care Nurse Certification.

Here’s what’s happening daily now:

Nurses are emailing TiredSole™ heartbroken, embarrassed, and upset because:

They paid for a “course” and got zero hands-on
They were told to go solicit residents in long-term care so they could “teach themselves”
Facilities are turning them away or warning them because they already have foot care providers
Nurses feel unsafe, unsupported, and flat-out misled
Many are being told they need 20 case logs — but no one is giving them a safe, legal, or supervised way to get them

And honestly?We’re seeing the fallout every single week.

Nurses are coming to us — paying hundreds more out of pocket — just so we can fix what their original program didn’t teach them.

And we’re going to be blunt:We’re not accepting this as “normal” anymore.

If you're signing up for foot care training, ask these questions:

1️⃣ “Do I get hands-on clinical training?”2️⃣ “Will an educator or trained supervisor be with me during client care?”3️⃣ “Are the clinical hours aligned with CAFCN’s National Standards?”4️⃣ “Where will I be practicing? On whom?”5️⃣ “Are these clients able to consent, communicate, and provide feedback?”6️⃣ “Who is responsible for sterilization, safety, and oversight?”

If they can’t answer clearly and confidently… walk away.

You deserve proper training — the kind that prepares you for the CNA’s upcoming certification, protects your license, and lets you walk into a client’s room without that “oh no, I hope I’m doing this right” panic.