Podiatrist Licence: Scope of Practice

Preamble

Pursuant to amendments to the Medical Practitioner’s Regulations¹ effective April 1, 2024, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia (the College) has the authority to regulate podiatrists in Nova Scotia. 

Section 63(g) of the Regulations requires the Council to establish the scope of practice for podiatry.

Purpose

This policy defines the scope of practice for podiatry. 

Scope

All licensed podiatrists must practise within the scope set out herein and  within a scope of practice consistent with their training, competence and recent practice experience.

Policy

The practice of podiatry is the use of medical, physical or surgical methods to prevent, diagnose and treat ailments, diseases, deformities and injuries of the foot and includes:

• Prescribing medications
• Administering drugs and substances by injection into the foot
• Ordering laboratory investigations
• Ordering diagnostic imaging
• Referrals to relevant specialists
• Making orthotics, orthopedic appliances and footwear
• Casting and bracing
• Performing soft tissue procedures

• Injections into soft tissues, including anaesthetics, corticosteroids, and sclerosing agents
• Mucoid cyst procedures
• Granuloma removal
• Nail procedures (including Winograd, VanDen Bos, Frost, etc)
• Simple excisions (e.g. Fibrous tissue, verrucae)
• Flexor and Extensor Tenotomy
• Use of energies (including microwave, ultrasound). Extracorporeal shockwave, electrodessication, Iontophoresis, fulguration, cryogenic therapy including cryosurgery
• Aspiration of joints of the foot.

The practice of podiatry does not include the:

• Treatment of systemic disease, except with respect to local manifestations of systemic disease in the foot, and
• Performance of bone surgery.

Change in Scope

When seeking to expand their scope of practice to include procedures not listed herein, podiatrists must notify the Registrar in writing of their intentions and satisfy the Registrar that they have the appropriate training and competence to safely conduct these procedures. 

If the Registrar is not satisfied, the Registrar may require the registrant to complete a competence assessment as determined by the Registrar.

Resource

1. Medical Practitioners Regulations (amended link pending)