01 March 2023
An e-Learning resource is set to become a game changer in helping nurses step into their first rheumatology posts. For the first time, there is now a resource to guide nurses and provide useful tips on the core skills required when starting the journey into rheumatology nursing.
The “How to get started in rheumatology for nurses” resource, offers seven bite-size modules which focus on various core elements that can be found in most rheumatology nursing roles. This includes an introduction to common inflammatory conditions, understanding the medication used in rheumatology, and how to manage the telephone advice line.
Julie Begum, lead nurse for rheumatology at Luton and Dunstable Hospital worked closely with BSR to help get approval for a business case for the resources after doing some research and finding a gap that needed to be filled.
“We haven’t ever had any induction resources available in this way before”, Julie explained.
“When a nurse comes into rheumatology, they are normally inducted by the rheumatology department they are employed by. However, not all nurses are receiving this introduction to the specialty A few years ago, when I was the Royal College of Nursing Rheumatology Forum chair (RCNRF) we conducted an informal poll via our RCN Facebook page to get some insight into the issue of induction.
“Of the 50 people that responded to our poll, 35 of them said that they hadn’t had an induction. This had an impact on the quality of care that they could deliver to patients.
“Our idea was to develop something that could be used universally by all rheumatology nurses regardless of where they worked, but it should also act as a resource for senior nurses to signpost junior nurses to who were starting out in their rheumatology career.”
The open-access resource means anyone can access the information and can be used by anybody coming into rheumatology as an entry point into their learning.
Julie explains that providing a good induction for rheumatology nurses has been something they’ve wanted to correct for some time.
“A few years ago, my own department went through a workforce change, and I was supporting numerous new starters simultaneously which I’d never done before. I felt quite pressured as the lead nurse to give equal time to all of them and make sure they were getting quality education to start their careers off with.
“This is where the idea came from. I wanted to support them all, but be more efficient with my time. I found I was teaching the same things to them individually and I wondered how I could consolidate all the information into one resource. This would help nurses get a good education from the start but could also supports me as a senior nurse to deliver on their educational learning needs.”
Julie goes on to explain how passionate she is about making sure all nurses have a good start in rheumatology and the impact this has on recruitment and retention.
“It’s important we get this right, so rheumatology nurses enjoy working in the speciality and we can retain and develop them. We have never been in such a strong position to do this as we are now, with the development of this induction e-Learning resource and the development of the RCN (2020) rheumatology nurse competency framework, to guide onward learning. Building good foundations and structuring learning will mean better patient care.”
Lastly, Julie highlights the key aspects that the nurses will take from the resource and how it will influence the way they practice.
“We know this resource will ensure equality in learning for all rheumatology nurses wherever they work. This resource is going to equip nurses with the tools they need to confidently perform in their first rheumatology post, ensuring they are well-informed and following evidence based practice. This will enable them to really support patients in making shared decisions about their care.
“The resource showcases the breadth of rheumatology nursing from paediatric to adult nursing. It demonstrates how much you can continue to develop, learn, and grow in your practice by signposting nurses to further learning.
“By giving them access to resources like this, we want nurses to feel how valuable and unique their role is in rheumatology care.”
Check out our e-learning page for more information on the resource.