Systemic lupus erythematosus. Part 2: The role of the nurse

The second article in this series of two describes the aims of patient education, and gives an overview of the implementation and evaluation of the patient education programme in the authors' department. It focuses on what patients can do to help prevent lupus flares and how they can develop coping skills in dealing with the day-to-day problems which often face these patients. It highlights the fundamental role of the nurse specialist as a resource in providing patient education and reflects a combined approach in the overall management of patients suffering with systemic lupus erythematosus.