The role of the biologies nurse specialist in rheumatology

摘要

The title of biologies nurse specialist can be a confusing one for anyone who is not familiar with either the biologic drugs that we use or with rheumatology. I can remember the first time I heard about these drugs in the late 1990s. It seemed strange to have a drug that would target a specific part of someone's immune system to block the inflammation of their joints. However, when we started to use these biologic drugs (so called as they are made from human proteins, and some have mouse DNA spliced to them to enhance efficacy), we were stunned at how they could seemingly switch off the disease and reduce pain. At this point I should explain that we had no specific funding for these drugs and it was a postcode lottery Some patients enlisted the help of MPs, others were judged so severe that individual funding was secured from their health authority. Our unit secured ￡800000 in 2001 for drug funding but no nurse support. It was not until 2002 that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published its first guidance on these drugs, which meant wider access was guaranteed. Our unit then decided that it would have to create a nurse post to look after these patients as at that time it was 'borrowing' a research nurse.