Speaker
Description
Non-traumatic lower-limb amputations remain a significant and preventable health concern in Northeastern Ontario, with Indigenous populations disproportionately impacted by diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, and barriers to equitable healthcare access. In response, the Maamwesying Ontario Health Team (MOHT) and Health Sciences North, implemented a comprehensive Lower Limb Preservation (LLP) initiative grounded in Indigenous health and evidence-informed practice. As the only Indigenous-led, Indigenous-focused, and Indigenous-informed Ontario Health Team in the province, MOHT utilized a Two-Eyed Seeing approach that integrated Indigenous knowledge, community priorities, and clinical best practices to strengthen prevention and early intervention strategies across partnering First Nations communities.
The LLP initiative have imbedded recommendations from the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario Best Practice Guidelines for diabetic foot ulcer prevention and management through implementation of standardized lower-limb screening and assessment tools, comprehensive wound and vascular assessments, risk stratification, pressure redistribution/offloading interventions, and coordinated interdisciplinary care pathways.
Education and mentorship were provided to frontline healthcare professionals to strengthen competency in diabetic foot assessment, wound prevention, infection recognition, plantar pressure redistribution, patient education, and early intervention practices. Community-focused education emphasizing daily foot checks, diabetes self-management, and culturally relevant wellness practices further supported patient engagement and self-management capacity.
Preliminary outcomes demonstrate increased identification of at-risk individuals, improved consistency in lower-limb assessments, enhanced interdisciplinary collaboration, and greater awareness of preventative foot care practices within participating communities. This initiative highlights the importance of culturally safe, Indigenous-informed, evidence-based care models in advancing health equity and reducing preventable lower-limb complications and amputations in Northeastern Ontario.
What RNAO BPG or tool/toolkit is your abstract related to?
RNAO BPG Diabetic foot ulcer prevention and management
Author(s) Credentials and Title
Josée Sénéchal, Lower Limb Preservation Project Management Specialist, MScCH-WC, BScN, RN, NSWOC, IIWCC
| Organization Name | Maamwesying Ontario Health Team |
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