Nurse's Responsibility :)

            Nursing clients with autoimmune disease can prove to be challenging. Clients can experience acute exacerbations or crises with almost all of these diseases. Systemic manifestations can be as devastating as the musculoskeletal manifestations. Whether in remission or exacerbation, these diseases are always present. These results in considerable uncertainty, which can lead to a cycle of ineffective coping, disturbed self esteem, helplessness and powerlessness.  In many respects, the psychological and social problems that are associated with these chronic illnesses can be as disabling as the physical complaints. Physiologically, clients experience many common problems. The triad of pain, fatigue and stiffness must be controlled so that function is enhanced and maintained. Difficulty with self care is usually accompanied by sleep disturbances, altered nutrition, and impaired mobility. These can adversely affect the individual’s self concept and self-esteem and lead to social isolation.

            Because of the chronicity of these disorders, clients need skilled, knowledgeable nursing care that draws on the discipline of rehabilitation, counselling, and self-care. The unique role of the nurse for these clients is one that assumes accountability and responsibility for guiding and directing the client through the health care maze. Clients with chronic, usually systemic illness require multiple therapies and follow-up appointments for pharmacologic management, nutritional counselling, lifestyle assessment, physical and occupational therapy and psychological support. The personal and financial cost can exhaust the client’s enthusiasm, job security, support systems, and sense of purpose in life. The nurse can provide a sense of consistency, hope, and reassurance that the client can learn to cope with, and positively adapt to, the demands of a chronic illness. Clients with arthritis need the nurse’s expertise to teach them how to explore new self care strategies so successful adaptation to the disease is a reality. Nurses help clients learn to become partners with the entire health care team as well as with themselves. When clients assume the role of partner, they exhibit greater control, greater accountability, and increased self esteem as they learn self-management skills. This is nowhere more evident than clients giving themselves their bi-weekly or daily injections of some of the newer treatments.


Source: Black, Joyce. Et al.  (2008). Medical Surgical Nursing (8^th Ed.) J.B. Lippincott Company.