Nursing or chiropody? Nurses' attitudes to toe nail trimming.

1. Trimmed toe nails make an important contribution to the rehabilitation of patients recovering from orthopaedic treatment by eliminating a source of discomfort. 2. Twenty-two nurses in orthopaedic care completed questionnaires about their attitudes toward this aspect of patient hygiene. 3. The majority felt it was part of the work of podiatrists but could be done by nurses in special circumstances. 4. The main deterrents to nurses undertaking toe nail trimming were fear of causing damage to patients' feet and lack of confidence about technique.