Bakgrund Nurse-led clinics have been proposed for patients with rheumatic diseases treated with biological therapy who are in low disease activity or remission (Disease Activity Score, DAS <3.2). In an ongoing study at a Swedish rheumatology clinic every other rheumatologist follow-up has been replaced by a rheumatology nurse-led follow-up. At the nurse-led follow-up the patients´ disease activity is assessed by examining tender or swollen joints and laboratory tests. The purpose of this study was to describe patients´ experiences of rheumatology nurse-led follow-up in biological therapy.

Metod The study had a descriptive design with a qualitative content analysis approach. Strategic sampling was carried out in order to achieve variation in experiences of nurse-led follow-up. Interviews were conducted with 20 patients (10 males and 10 females, 10 i.v infusions and 10 s.c injections as way of administration, 34-76 years of age, and duration of illness 3-41 years).

Resultat The content analysis of the interviews resulted in the theme "The rheumatology nurse promotes patients with added value" Which was based on four categories: familiarity, security, availability and participatory: Familiarity meant that it was easier to ask the rheumatology nurse about disease, treatment and how to live with a chronic disease than the rheumatologist. Patients experienced security in the rheumatology nurse’s knowledge and skill. Availability meant that it was easy to contact the rheumatology nurse who spent time to patients' needs. Patients experienced being participatory in the biological therapy and in the rheumatology nurse’s examination of the disease activity.

Sammanfattning The rheumatology nurse-led follow-up resulted in that patients experienced familiarity, security, availability and being participatory in their biological therapy. The rheumatology nurse promoted patients from another perspective, than the rheumatologist. By replacing every other rheumatologist follow-up with a rheumatology nurse-led follow-up for patients with biological therapy, who are in low disease activity or remission, the rheumatology care will be more complete. A rheumatology nurse and a rheumatologist have different perspectives and complement each other. When patients are given the opportunity to meet both professions regularly they are able to receive optimal rheumatology care.