Health professionals' experiences delivering an Interdisciplinary Nurse-coordinated SELf-MAnagement intervention for patients with inflammatory arthritis.

Abstract

The complex Interdisciplinary Nurse-coordinated SELf-MAnagement (INSELMA) intervention for patients with IA who experience substantial disease impact, was tested in a feasibility study. This study explored healthcare professionals' (HPs) experiences of delivering the intervention. A qualitative longitudinal evaluation study was conducted based on four focus group interviews. Twelve HPs participated from two outpatient rheumatology hospitals in Denmark. Data was analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Five themes emerged (1) Change in work tasks required training, (2) New professional roles challenged professional identities, (3) Meaningful and increased coherence in pathways, (4) Enabling support for patients with complex health issues, and (5) Appreciated interdisciplinary collaboration. The HPs found the new roles and tasks challenging, but perceived the INSELMA intervention as meaningful for the patients, enhanced coherence, strengthened the relation with the patient and ensured continuous follow-up on goals.