Getting Your Clients To Sign

[MobileNails]

I recently posted about pedi's and mani's for the older aged...Just wanted to know if you geeks could help me out...I am in need to write something up about peoples health...I am really stumped and need some help..
Like I need to have something written up for clients to sign stating they have no conditions or what ever...I am totally lost here, can someone help ?
In my last post I was advised that using scrub on a diabetic is not reccomended and could cause problems if it gets underneath aclients toes who has diabetes...

Does anyone here have some sort of write up at all?

Any help would be great...

 

[bombini]

Just use your normal consultation cards, mine have a space for recent illness, operations, medical conditions, medication etc. & then any other details like if the client had say a bruise on their ankle then i would note that to.

For diabetes I always obtain a Doctors note.

 

[Susie H]

I did my foundation with creative and we covered all of this with handout examples and home work to complete to show we understood, I see from your profile that you haven't trained with creative but I know if you rang creative you would find them very helpful and informative.
As for diabetics:
This is a degenarative condition and if not controled can lead to nerve damage, which is where our concerns lie. Its actualy good for them to have regular pedicures because for some diabetics they have little or no feeling in the soles of their feet.
eg if they have a small stone in their shoe they might not feel it, the resulting bruise could become an ulcer and that can lead to gangreene. So when dealing with a diabetics feet just make sure you rinse and dry completely and moisterise well. and if you see something unusual write a note for them to give to the nurse at their doctors surgary
something like
Dear nurse whilst giving a pedicure treetment to ....... I noticed a small cut/ discoloured patch of skin.... and thought it best to bring it to your attention.
No I dont do pedicures but I am married to a diabetic.
Hope this helps and I am not critasising anyone but making a diabetic get a letter from their doctor, which they might have to pay for, will just make them not have the treatment, which I think would be a real shame.
Remember our elderly peeps come from a very proud generation.

 

[MobileNails]

That was great advise Susie..
Thanks

 

[ruthsy]

I always get a GP referral if faced with a diabetic for the following reasons:

1. There is always the chance that you could cut the client with the file. Diabetics tend to have poor circulation and heal slowly and there is the increased risk that even a small cut can lead to severe infection or even gangreen.

2. Massage has the same effect on blood sugar as exercise and therefore the massage should be either omitted from the pedicaure or referred to the GP. In any event always ensure the client has their medication present.

3. If the client has neuropathy (nerve damage) which is often associated with diabetes you should avoid using a foot spa. In any event make sure you check the temperature of the water carefully and don’t soak the feet for too long. Remember also that water transmits infection and spas can harbour bacteria etc (refer back to 1 above)

I would write to the GP myself getting the client to sign that it is OK for the GP to reply to me. I enclose a SAE for the GP's convenience. I set our clearly the stages of the revised procedure clearly stating for instance that I am not using clippers or nippers. I ask the GP to confirm if it is OK to proceed or if I should make further amendments.

If you do not generally, you should always use fresh consumables (e.g files) for diabetics.

Keep client records of exactly what you did and provide good after care advice.

By doing the above you ensure that the terms of your insurance are complied with.

Whilst I absolutely agree that diabetics should be able to obtain services it is important to ensure that we do not do them any harm and it is always professional to refer to the more highly qualified specialist in that area.

On another note I used to work with a diabetic who stopped telling beauty therapists about her diabetes in order that they would treat her staight away. Hence you should always get the client to sign that they have no conditions so that they cannot argue this point at a later date.

 

[Susie H]

Sorry I'm not trying to pick a fight here but, most elderly peeps cant reach their own feet to cut nails etc and that includes diabetics and I fail to see why its such a big issue to single them out and make them feel like freeks when all diabetics have yearly trips to the podiatrist and cheropodist and both places recomend that diabetics have regular pedicur treatments with qualified therepists and foot massage is perticulaly stressed as desirable because it increases the blood suply to the feet which helps to stave of nerve damage. Also your avarge gp has no clue when it comes to his diabetic patient its the diabetic nurse who deals with this including changes in medication and the only thing a therepist realy needs to ask is are you type 1 or 2 and if 2 are you inselin dependent. This being pertanent because some type 1 who also have high blood pressure should have a sugary snack on hand just in case their blood pressure should suddenly fall during a relaxing treatment. If you realy want to get it right I sugest you contact the diabetic society because what realy hacks them of is urben myths that put them in the same category as lepers

 

[ruthsy]

This is what I was taught for my NVQ and I have checked that it does say this in my NVQ book.

I do appreciate why it is frustrating for diabetics and appreciate that your husband will know far more about his condition than what I do.

However if anything is to come from those setting the guidelines, providing the framework for the NVQ and delivering the training. Technicians carrying out pedicures need to be reassured from the top of the profession down.

Until that happens you can only advise techs to act in accordance with the training that they been given.

I would however be interested to hear from other techs as to their training on this point?