NURSING CHALLENGES IN WORKING WITH RHEUMATOLOGY PATIENTS

Abstract

Patients with rheumatology diseases and conditions that cause joint problems require inpatient and outpatient medical care, physical and psychological rehabilitation. Various specialists are involved in the treatment and care of such patients: family doctors and family nurses, rheumatologists and nurses specialized in working with rheumatology patients, rehabilitation specialists, physiotherapists, psychologists and social workers. Family members of patients also experience some pressure. A large share of the workload falls on nurses in rheumatology departments, who spend a lot of time with patients. Their duties are registering patients in the department, placing them in wards, taking tests for research, monitoring medication intake, physical activity, and nutrition etc. Therefore, many researchers pay much attention to studying the peculiarities of the work of nurses specialized in working with patients with joint diseases. As a result of the literature search, it was found that there is not a large number of qualitative and quantitative studies devoted to the specifics of the work of medical personnel, especially nurses, with patients of rheumatological profile. The aim of the study is to learn about nursing challenges in working with rheumatology patients. The methods of study: statistical study of the patient contingent of the rheumatology department (official information of the Medical Statistics Department of the Ternopil Regional Clinical Hospital for 2024); analysis of the structure and staffing of the nursing staff of a model rheumatology department (official information of the Ternopil Regional Clinical Hospital for 2024); analysis of questionnaires of rheumatology department nurses about the peculiarities of work in the rheumatology department (in collaboration with the scientific supervisor); oral conversations with rheumatology department nurses (in collaboration with the scientific supervisor). As result of the research major challenges including high patient volume, communication issues, organizational inefficiencies, and emotional burnout were identified. Implementing regular feedback and participatory management could help improve staff engagement and care quality. Key challenges identified by nurses—such as high patient volumes, communication barriers, and burnout—reflect systemic issues that affect care quality and staff morale. Addressing these concerns requires more than staffing solutions; it demands a cultural shift toward participatory management and interdisciplinary collaboration.