Patients' experiences of a nurse-led rheumatology clinic in Sweden: A qualitative study

In this study, patients' experiences of a nurse‐led rheumatology clinic for those undergoing biological therapy are discussed. The study had an explorative design, based on a qualitative content analysis with an inductive approach. Strategic sampling was used in order to achieve variations in experiences of a nurse‐led clinic. Interviews were conducted with 20 participants, and the analysis resulted in the theme “the nurse‐led rheumatology clinic provided added value to patient care”. The participants' experiences of the encounter with the nurse led to a sense of security (due to competence and accessibility), familiarity (due to confirmation and sensitivity), and participation (due to exchange of information and involvement). Replacing every second visit to a rheumatologist with one to a nurse added value to the rheumatology care, making it more complete. Nurses and rheumatologists complemented each other, as they approached patients from different perspectives. This study suggests that a nurse‐led rheumatology clinic adds value to the quality of care for patients in rheumatology units.