The Rheumatology Nurse

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), often seen in women of childbearing age, is an autoimmune disease that affects multiple organ systems.

Rheumatology nurses and healthcare providers gathered from across the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Kenya to “Join the Race to Rheumatology” at the 7th Annual Rheumatology Nurses Society (RNS) Conference. The conference—which had the largest attendance in the or­ganization’s history—provided networking opportunities and inspired rheumatology nurses to achieve excellence in the care of the rheumatology patient across the life span.

There is a growing need for dedicated healthcare providers from rheumatology private practice to step into the role of researcher and participate in clinical trials to evaluate treatment regimens and therapies.

Patients with rheumatic, immune-­mediated, inflammatory diseases require extensive and ongoing assessments of their disease state in response to treatment, providing opportunities for nurse-patient education.

Many nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) working in rheumatology clinics appear ready and willing to diagnose and treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a recently published survey. The results may pinpoint a key to preventing the projected shortfall in rheumatologists in the near future, the researchers suggest.

By Wayne Kuznar San Diego, CA—Rheumatology nurs­ing is in its infancy but is evolving rapidly as demand increases for modern services and new complex medications require skilled providers to administer and manage them, said Kori A. Dewing, DNP, ARNP, Rheumatology Nurse Practitioner, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA, at the 2013 American College of Rheumatology meeting.

Successful interventions provided by rheumatology nurses By Alice Goodman Madrid, Spain—Two companion studies reported at the 2013 annual meeting of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) show that nurse-led programs can improve the management of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Physician extender programs such as these can potentially be resource-saving and cost-saving.