Multidisciplinary patient care in rheumatoid arthritis: evolving concepts in nursing practice Anne Madigan RGN Rheumatology Nurse Specialist Oliver FitzGerald MD, FRCPI Consultant Rheumatologist Department of Rheumatology, St Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin 4, Ireland Multidisciplinary patient care is essential in the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic potentially disabling, multisystem disease. Concepts of multidisciplinary care continue to evolve. While all team members can make valuable contributions to patient care, this chapter focuses in particular on continuing and changing aspects of team management. Of the many disciplines associated with rheumatology, nursing has undergone the most radical change in recent years. New roles have been de®ned and the nursing profession is now emerging with additional skills to support patients and their families. Concepts of patient education also continue to evolve. As the bene®cial eects of education are demonstrated, a patient education programme should be seen as essential to the management of rheumatoid arthritis. Finally, the importance of counselling skills is emphasised. Key words: rheumatoid arthritis; multidisciplinary; nursing; patient education. The management of established RA requires the participation of many health dis- ciplines, in addition to the patient and those important to him or her. The multi- disciplinary team consists of a group of individuals who work together towards a common goal. The team approach involves the co-ordination of all the medical specialities to create an optimal, individualised care plan for persons with arthritis. It provides a more focused organised care plan than traditional treatment for those with complicated rheumatic disease. 1 MULTIDISCIPLINARY PATIENT CARE Goals of the multidisciplinary team Patients with long term health problems have a right to: . obtain the knowledge, skills and resources needed to improve health . to achieve a level of functioning that is maximal for them . to have an optimal quality of life. 2 1521-6942/99/040661+14 $12.00/00 * c 1999 Harcourt Publishers Ltd. BaillieÁ re's Clinical Rheumatology Vol. 13, No. 4, pp. 661±674, 1999 7