Are We Transitioning Toward Person-centered Practice on Self-management Support? An Explorative Case Study Among Rheumatology Outpatient Clinic Nurses in Norway

Introduction: There are only a few studies investigating nurses’ views on self-management in the care of patients with rheumatic diseases. Objective: The aim of this study is to explore how Norwegian rheumatology outpatient nurses describe their ways of supporting patients’ self-management focusing on the core dimensions of person-centered self-management support. Methods: Ten individual semistructured interviews with rheumatology outpatient nurses were conducted in Norway from March to September 2017. The interviews were audiorecorded and transcribed verbatim. NVIVO was used to support a systematic analysis of themes and patterns. Results: Nurses’ views on self-management support fell into three approaches; (1) narrowly biomedically orientated, (2) biomedically and holistic, and (3) person-centered. The nurse’s views of self-management support varied and did not fully align with the core dimensions of person-centered practice. Conclusion: The findings indicate that the biomedical paradigm continues to influence Norwegian rheumatology outpatient clinic nurses’ approach to self-management support. If person-centered principles of self-management support are to be translated into standard nursing practice, including identifying and supporting patient-defined self-management goals and processes, there is a need to challenge established structures in health care systems.