Have You Seen Me Lately?

If you ask a home health nurse why he or she needs to examine the feet of all diabetic patients, the answer is usually, ‘Because OASIS C investigates our processes’. That much is true. But there is so much more to the story.

• Each year, 1% to 4% of diabetic patients will develop a foot ulcer
• In the course of a lifetime, 25% percent of diabetic patients will develop a diabetic foot ulcer
• 15% of patients with a diabetic foot ulcer will develop osteomylitis
• Diabetic foot ulcers hurt and can vastly affect the quality of life of patients
• The cost of treating a diabetic foot ulcer averages over $45,000.00.

All of this information and more can be found here at the Ostomy Wound Management website.

One of my clients intent on ensuring that every diabetic had their feet checked on every visit created this colorful poster for the office. Shannon Barrillieaux generously shares her poster with us here. To download it for your agency’s use, please see link on the right hand sidebar under ‘essential links’.