Former nurse turns personal struggles into pioneering foot health resource for student nurses

Jane Summers, who is studying for a Master’s degree in Podiatry at the University of Brighton, has developed an easy-to-access digital manual to educate and empower student nurses to take better care of their foot health early in their careers. Jane, 56, hopes that the guidance will help prevent injuries like the disabling heel pain (plantar fasciitis) that forced her out of emergency nursing.

Before deciding to retrain as a podiatrist, Jane, who is also a former accountant, spent almost a decade as a community nurse, volunteer palliative carer, as well as working earlier in A&E. A foot injury sustained just two months into her emergency care career meant she was forced to quit due to the long hours of standing involved in such settings. 

This experience, coupled with knowledge gained from ongoing podiatry training, led her to create a simple, free, and accessible 12-page digital manual on foot health for student nurses. The project comes at a time when several NHS Trusts across the UK are reporting increasing muscle-and-bone-related injuries among healthcare staff, particularly nurses on the front lines.

Jane said: “As nurses, we’re trained to look after everyone else but when I developed plantar fasciitis just months into my A&E role, I realised how unprepared I was to deal with the physical demands of the job. That injury changed the course of my career, but it also inspired me to make sure others don’t face the same barriers.

“This manual is my way of turning a personal setback into something positive and practical for future nurses. It’s simple, free, and focused on prevention — because looking after your feet isn’t just about comfort, it’s about staying in the job you love and avoiding burnout or injury before it begins.”

Jane’s work could help catalyse further research and policy discussion around preventative care and physical wellbeing in nursing education.

Libby Rodriguez, Podiatry Lecturer at the University of Brighton’s School of Education, Sport and Health Sciences, said: “Jane’s work is an inspiring example of how lived experience can lead to meaningful change. Her foot health manual gives student nurses an essential but often overlooked tool for self-care. We encourage our students to be innovators, and Jane has gone a step further by creating something that could support nurses well beyond our university.”

The booklet has not yet been formally released but is available for free, and Jane is now exploring options for wider distribution.