When a patient is newly diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), there are specific treatment guidelines that are typically followed. This includes the initiation of one […]
Author Archives: RNS
All Hail the Negotiator
I first met JY 2 weeks ago. A 35-year-old, tall, lanky male with a 2-year history of seronegative rheumatoid arthritis (RA), JY initially presented to […]
Tapping Into Our “Spidey Sense”
Recently, I had a casual conversation with some nurse practitioner friends about an older adolescent I saw in clinic, and how my gut told me […]
The Impact of Everyday Life on Drug Adherence… And How You Can Help
I was diagnosed with my first chronic illness at age 5, so I’ve taken medication daily for basically as long as I can remember. As […]
Ringing the Bell of Hope for Our Patients
In October 2017, I met JP, a 66-year-old female patient, for the first time. During our initial meeting, JP reported that she had been recently […]
Put Your Rheumatology Specs Away with New Patients
Remember those “x-ray specs” they used to sell in the back of comic books? You’d send in your entire allowance, and in just 6-8 weeks, […]
The Nervousness of the New Patient
As an adult rheumatology nurse with nearly 15 years in the field, I have a certain comfort level when educating patients who have been newly […]
RNS Awarded Accreditation with Distinction
The RNS is pleased to announce that the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation recently reviewed our application for re-accreditation as a provider of […]
Riding the Roller Coaster of a New Diagnosis
Many years ago, in the pre-biologics era, a diagnosis of antibody-positive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in children was rather tragic, often foretelling a future of significant […]
The Power of the Team
Lupus is a chronic disease that requires long-term care, which can pose a significant challenge to the patient and health care team.