Rheumatology Nurse Newsletter

For those of you who struggle providing guidance to patients with RA who spend time traveling the globe, our latest online case study is for you. This activity, certified for CE nursing credits, touches on issues such as vaccinations, biologic storage and safety, and tuberculosis treatment. To access the activity, just click on the link below!

The summer issue of Rheumatology Nurse is now available online! The print version should be arriving in your mailbox in the next week or so, but if you can't wait, feel free to go to http://iche.realcme.com/cms/node/421864 to access the latest issue -- which focuses on the impact of healthcare reform on rheumatology nursing -- as well as the activity post-test.

One of the longtime supporters of our newsletter series, Sheree C. Carter, is conducting a research study entitled "Benchmarking Role Acquisition and Perceptions of Role Among United States Rheumatology Nurses: A Mixed Methods Study" as part of her PhD in Nursing studies at the Georgia Baptist College of Nursing of Mercer University. This is a first in the U.S. study to obtain demographics of the rheumatology nurse across the U.S., ascertain levels of education, examine the r...oles assumed, and explore the perceptions of preparedness for the roles. This survey will take approximately 20 to 30 minutes of your time depending on the length of time you devote to supplying additional opinions and perceptions in the few narrative questions. If you would be interested in taking this survey, please click on this link and provide your consent to take the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NPVZ5VP. There is an additional telephone interview option as well. When you complete the survey, you will see information regarding how to also volunteer for the confidential telephone interview. If you have any questions about the study, you may contact Sheree at [email protected].

While you wait for the summer issue of Rheumatology Nurse focusing on the nuts and bolts of healthcare reform (available in mid-July), check out our latest online case study for rheumatologists and rheumatology nurses. This case, focusing on the challenges of restarting therapy in a patient who had been lost to practice for several years, is the fifth in a series of CE-certified online activities being developed by the Institute this year. It is available by going to http://realcme.com/cms/node/412442.

We're happy to announce that the spring issue of Rheumatology Nurse is now available. This issue focuses on the ABCs of Biologic Therapy and includes information on the past, present, and future of biologics for the treatment of RA. The print version should be arriving in mailboxes in the next week or so, but if you can't wait, the online version can be accessed by going to http://realcme.com/cms/node/398334. You'll need to go to this link to complete the activity post-test and receive credit.

Two things to announce. First of all, the third in our series of online activities for rheumatologists and rheumatology nurses is now available. This one deals with the incorporation of ACR guidelines into clinical care. Check it out at http://realcme.com/cms/node/378133. Secondly, we will soon be launching Year 6 of Rheumatology Nurse Newsletter, and we are once again looking for nurses who are interested in participating in our year-long PAID focus group of learners. We always open this up to our Facebook friends before the call goes out more broadly, so if you are interested in participating, email Scott Kober at [email protected].

The Institute for Continuing Healthcare Education is pleased to announce the launch of two more rheumatology-focused online activities. The first, available at http://iche.realcme.com/cms/node/359909, is a first-of-its-kind video-based activity that follows the "Choose Your Adventure" model by allowing learners to follow different diagnoses and treatments as a patient's symptoms evolves. The second, available at http://www.iche.realcme.com/cms/node/359867, takes a look at ho...w treat-to-target concepts can be incorporated into clinical practice. This is ANCC certified for nurse credit hours. We hope you enjoy these activities and share any feedback you have with us.

We've just launched the first in a brand-new series of online educational activities for rheumatologists and rheumatology nurses. This initial activity takes a look at the management of an MTX-intolerant patient, as well as trends in biologic monotherapy. Check it out at http://iche.realcme.com/cms/node/331068. Also, be on a lookout very soon for a one-of-a-kind video-based activity that is in development based upon the "Choose Your Own Adventure" book series model. Learners will be able to make choices about a patient based upon video interactions with that patient and her doctor. These choices will take you down different pathway as you hone in on the correct diagnosis and treatment for that patient. It'll be live early in the new year!

The fall issue of Rheumatology Nurse is now available. This issue focuses on recent news related to the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and includes survey data from real-life cases discussed by practicing rheumatology nurses. Check it all out by going to www.iche.edu/content/rheumatology-nurse-newsletter.

To get a sense of how our audience of rheumatology nurses would handle certain situations, we've created a short case-based survey that aligns with the content for our next issue of Rheumatology Nurse. It's short (3 scenarios) and anonymous, but the information it provides will be extremely valuable. The survey can be accessed by going to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BRYWMCT.

The Summer 2012 issue of Rheumatology Nurse, focused on juvenile idiopathic arthritis, is now available! Check it out online by going to http://iche.realcme.com/cms/node/254658. Or wait for the print version to hit your mailbox in the next week or so.

The spring 2012 issue of Rheumatology Nurse is now available online! Go to http://www.iche.edu/content/rheumatology-nurse-newsletter to check out a PDF of this issue. Print versions are being mailed out this week. We've gone green with our post-tests and evaluations so learners can now print out their CE certificates immediately upon completion of the activity. No more waiting for things in the mail!

We're only 2 weeks away from the launch of our first issue of 2012 devoted to Treat to Target: The Importance of Setting Treatment Goals for Our Patients. Keep an eye out both in this space and in your mailboxes for the arrival of our Spring issue.