Chiropodist

**Job Description**:
The **Chiropodist** is required to provide diabetic foot ulcer management, which can include diabetic foot wound care, prevention, education, screening, inpatient foot care, wound management, orthotic manufacturing and dispensing.

**Education**:

- Three-Year Diploma of Chiropody (DCh)
- Undergraduate Degree in related discipline
- Member of the College of Chiropodists of Ontario (mandatory)
- Valid CPR Certification
- Minimum 50 hours of continuing education over the past two years
- Post-Graduate courses, including Local Anesthesia and soft tissue surgery

**Experience**:

- Minimum of two year’s working knowledge/experience in soft-tissue surgery, wound care, foot biomechanics, ulcer debridement, offloading modalities, orthotic and footwear fittings
- Relevant experience as a diabetes educator
- Health care knowledge base developed through previous experience

**Competencies**:

- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Critical thinking, decision making and analysis skills
- Excellent time management and organizational skills
- Empathetic and effective ability to build rapport with patients
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team

**Responsibilities**:
Diabetes Foot Wound Care
Assessment and treatment of diabetic foot wounds, which includes the following: debridement, dressing recommendations, antibiotic prescriptions, and pressure off loading.

Diabetes Wound Prevention
Continuous monitoring and care is required, which may include the following: callus reduction, nail care or removal, footwear fitting and adjusting and a yearly assessment to determine level of foot pathology risk.

Diabetes Foot Health Education
- Includes education for patients, staff, and the community.
- During their initial assessment, provide new patients with information on the diabetes foot and the prevention of complications.
- Provide staff with education through membership on the RVH wound care team and in-services.
- Deliver information to the community via lectures, wound education days, and through membership on the Simcoe County Wound Care Team.

In-Patient Foot Health
- Provide wound management and general care for compromised diabetes patients.

Orthotic Manufacturing and Dispensing
- Provide biomechanical assessments, followed by foot casting.Responsible for orthotic fittings, adjustments, and manufacturing, as well as footwear fittings.Off-loading pressure is a key element in healing pressure sores.

Administrative Duties
May include providing the following: monthly statistics, professional practice meetings, RVH Wound Care Team meetings, and staff meetings.

Exhibits the core values of Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre: Work Together, Respect All, Think Big, Own It, Care