A coordinated team approach to one health problem

Rheumatoid arthritis, as a complex and chronic disease, requires the expertise of many disciplines working in a combined fashion with the patient as an active and responsible member of the health team. In-depth knowledge of the disease is vital to the nurse in assisting her in developing an effective and logical plan of care. The nurse must act as the liaison between patient and health team and coordinate the programme of treatment. The most important feature of the delivery of care to the rheumatoid patient at the Rheumatism Foundation Hospital is that the patient is involved in his plan of care from the beginning and has shared responsibility for its being carried out and its effectiveness. It is the cooperative effort between the health team and the patient which is the major feature in this very successful comprehensive approach to caring for the patient with rheumatoid arthritis.