The scariest movie I ever saw was called “The Ring.” I’m not exactly sure what it was about, because I “watched” it while hiding under […]
Education
Self-Efficacy Assessments: Valuable Tools for Patient Success
Because patient outcomes are increasingly being used as outcomes measures to determine the success or failure of certain treatment regimens, health behavior modifications, and compliance […]
Hoping for a Home Run, but Ending with a Strikeout
J.T. was a former professional baseball player who came to our practice after being diagnosed at age 45 with severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In the […]
It Takes a Village
In nursing school, we are taught to use care plans to help manage our patients’ health problems. First, we assess the patient; next, we develop […]
The “What Ifs” That Stay With Us
Sometimes, we encounter a patient in our practice who touches our life and our soul, and never leaves our heart. One such patient of mine […]
My Most Memorable Patient – Jacqueline Fritz, RN, MSN, CNS
As rheumatology nurses, we are lucky to be able to touch so many lives in a memorable way. Consequently, when a patient appears in our […]
Why Vitamin D Levels Matter in Patients with Rheumatic Disease
Over a decade ago, I had the pleasure of hearing Michael F. Holick, MD, PhD, discuss his cutting edge research on vitamin D. At the […]
When Lab Tests Provide Additional Information
Is there a more confounding lab test in rheumatology than the antinuclear antibody (ANA) test? It can lead us straight to a diagnosis or set […]
When Lab Tests Tell the Truth
Biomarkers have been an important addition to the toolbox of rheumatology healthcare providers, which was illustrated in my interactions with G.H., a recent patient of […]
When Lab Tests Lie
Twelve years ago, I met R.T., a 35-year-old female patient who had previously been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Her rheumatoid factor was positive at 49. […]