A typical day for Susan Richmond, MS, PA-C, at the Rheumatology and Autoimmune Disorder Medical Group in Raynham, Mass., will include a variety of patient visits, 10 to 15 total, including initial visits, follow-up appointments, and patients needing urgent attention. She may also see patients having an infusion or manage a patient in the event of an adverse reaction. Richmond also collaborates on difficult or unusual cases with her supervising rheumatologist.
As a pediatric NP at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, Karla Jones, MS, RN, CPNP, states that accurately diagnosing and treating rheumatic diseases can be challenging, but she enjoys the intellectual stimulation that it entails. She also enjoys working as a team and knowing that everyone involved has the goal of helping children and their families meet the child’s physical, social, and emotional needs.
Registered Nurses
Registered nurses (RNs) have a long and important history in rheumatology practice. They assess each patient’s health status, response to treatment, function in relation to activities of daily living, and ability to provide self-care and cope with chronic illness. Collaborating with the patient, family, rheumatologist, and other health professionals, the RN implements a variety of interventions that are designed to manage pain, improve function, maximize independence, provide education, strengthen coping strategies, and improve access to community resources. In addition, the RN administers, monitors, and educates about medications.
Lisa Robbins, RN, provides education to patients and families regarding medications and injection techniques, diagnosis, plan of care, and support activities at Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pa. She also handles patient calls about illness, medications, symptoms, school issues, education, and support, and helps the rheumatologist stay on schedule by starting history and physicals with patients in the exam room when not engaged with the education of patients or taking calls.
Many rheumatology practices now conduct clinical trials. For Tara Barker, RN, BSN, MSN, who serves as a clinical research nurse coordinator at the Cleveland Clinic, has responsibilities that relate to patients who participate in rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, scleroderma, and fibromyalgia clinical trials. In this role she ensures that the patient understands the consent forms for study participation and provides information to help with their decision. Once they have agreed to participate, she makes sure that the research protocol is followed by scheduling assessments, infusions, and medication dispensing for the patients and supports and assists patients in coping with their specific chronic illness or disease. Additionally, she works with the trial sponsors to make sure the trial runs with integrity and compliance.
