EULAR recommendations for the role of the nurse in the management of chronic inflammatory arthritis

van Eijk-Hustings, Y; van Tubergen, A; Bostrom, C; Braychenko, E; Buss, B; Felix, J; Firth, J; Hammond, A; Harston, B; Hernandez, C; Huzjak, M; Korandova, J; Kukkurainen, ML; Landewe, R; Mezieres, M; Milincovic, M; Moretti, A; Oliver, S; Primdahl, J; Scholte-Voshaar, M; de la Torre-Aboki, J; Waite-Jones, J; Westhovens, R; Zangi, HA; Heiberg, T; Hill, J

Abstract

Objectives The authors aim to develop European
League Against Rheumatism recommendations for the
role of the nurse in the management of patients with
chronic infl ammatory arthritis, to identify a research
agenda and to determine an educational agenda.
Methods A task force made up of a multidisciplinary
expert panel including nurses, rheumatologists,
occupational therapist, physiotherapist, psychologist,
epidemiologist and patient representatives, representing
14 European countries, carried out the development of
the recommendations, following the European League
Against Rheumatism standardised operating procedures.
The task force met twice. In the fi rst meeting, the aims of
the task force were defi ned, and eight research questions
were developed. This was followed by a comprehensive,
systematic literature search. In the second meeting,
the results from the literature review were presented
to the task force that subsequently formulated the
recommendations, research agenda and educational
agenda.
Results In total, 10 recommendations were formulated.
Seven recommendations covered the contribution of
nurses to care and management: education, satisfaction
with care, access to care, disease management,
psychosocial support, self-management and effi ciency
of care. Three recommendations focused on professional
support for nurses: availability of guidelines or protocols,
access to education and encouragement to undertake
extended roles. The strength of the recommendations
varied from A to C, dependent on the category of
evidence (1A–3), and a high level of agreement was
achieved. Additionally, the task force agreed upon
10 topics for future research and an educational agenda.
Conclusion 10 recommendations for the role of the
nurse in the management of chronic infl ammatory arthritis
were developed using a combination of evidence-based
and expert consensus approach.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2012
• Deposit Date: May 28, 2012
• Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (ARD)
• Print ISSN: 0003-4967
• Electronic ISSN: 1468-2060
• Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 71
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 13-19
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2011-200185
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2011-200185