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Experiences of Person-Centred Nurse-Led Care for Patients with Gout in Primary Care: Self-Measurement and Dose Escalation of Urate-Lowering Treatment. Passed

Wednesday May 15, 2024 14:30 - 15:13 Poster Arena

Presenter: Helene Sedelius

Track: Posters, Evaluation of Interventions

Poster can be found in location 112.

Aim: This study aims to evaluate the feasibility, as perceived by both healthcare personnel and patients, of a person-centred nurse led procedure involving patients' self-measurement of urate and dose escalation of urate lowering treatment (allopurinol). Method: Participants from three primary care units in Sweden were recruited; patients with gout and urate >405 μmol/L, nurses and physicians. Patients received nurse-led education on gout and of how to use a urate meter for self-measurement at home. Monthly follow-up and support was planned together by the nurse and patient and continued until the target for urate level was achieved, through dose escalation of allopurinol. Data collection involved the use of questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with all participants. Results: Of the 29 eligible patients, 12 agreed to participate. Common reasons for not participating included absence of gout-related problems, side effects from allopurinol, and comorbidities. Notably, all included patients completed the procedure and reached their target urate levels. Both patients and personnel found the procedure to be straightforward and simple regarding performance. Patients reported feeling more engaged in their treatment and gaining awareness and knowledge for managing their gout. Nurses described the procedure as manageable and professional, noting that it was time-consuming initially but not during follow-up. Conclusion: The self-measurement procedure appears to be a suitable first choice before resorting to regular lab tests when implementing person-centred nurse-led gout care in primary care settings. Patient involvement in self-measurement and home-based urate monitoring increases their sense of participation in care and treatment. Key words: primary care, gout, experience, feasibility, task shifting, nurse-led care, self-measurement, person-centred care. 

Language

English

Seminar type

Poster

Conference

GCPCC

Authors

Helene Sedelius, Malin Tistad, Anna Svärd

Lecturers

Helene Sedelius Presenter

Dalarna University