A nurse-led rheumatology clinic's impact on empowering patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A qualitative study

Nurs Health Sci. 2006 Sep;8(3):133-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1442-2018.2006.00269.x.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to describe a nurse-led rheumatology clinic's impact on empowering patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory disease that attacks many joints, causing considerable functional restrictions for patients. Consequently, these patients are dependent on a wide variety of health-care services. A descriptive, qualitative design inspired by phenomenography was chosen. The conceptions were collected through interviews with 16 strategically selected patients with RA. Three descriptive categories comprising eight conceptions emerged: teaching (gaining insight and receiving information), regular review (receiving security, realizing regularity, and achieving accessibility), and attention (getting a holistic assessment, receiving coordinated care, and getting sufficient time). A nurse-led rheumatology clinic can be a source for empowering patients with RA to adopt new stances to alternative actions and achieve a higher level of faith in their own abilities.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Ambulatory Care / organization & administration*
  • Ambulatory Care / psychology
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / prevention & control*
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / psychology
  • Attitude to Health*
  • Continuity of Patient Care
  • Female
  • Health Promotion
  • Holistic Health
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nurse Clinicians / organization & administration*
  • Nurse's Role
  • Nursing Assessment
  • Nursing Evaluation Research
  • Nursing Methodology Research
  • Patient Education as Topic
  • Power, Psychological
  • Qualitative Research
  • Self Care / psychology*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Sweden