Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rheumatology nursing consultation

• Published in: Reumatología clinica (Barcelona) 2022-04, Vol.18 (4), p.231-235
• Main Authors: Fernández Sánchez, Susana P., Rodríguez Muñoz, Fermín, Laiz, Ana, Castellví, Ivan, Magallares, Berta, Corominas, Héctor
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Actividad; Activity; Brief Report; COVID-19; COVID-19 - epidemiology; Enfermería reumatología; Female; Humans; Impact; Impacto; Male; Middle Aged; Outbreak; Pandemia; Pandemics; Referral and Consultation; Rheumatic Diseases - epidemiology; Rheumatology; Rheumatology nursing
• ISSN: 2173-5743; 2173-5743
• DOI: 10.1016/j.reumae.2021.02.001

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought major changes to the model of patient care in Rheumatology. Our aim was to compare the change in the care delivered in a rheumatology nursing consultation before and during the pandemic. Descriptive and observational study. Patient care was registered before and during the COVID-19 outbreak. The variables collected were age, sex, prevalent rheumatic disease, type of visit and reason for consultation. 254 consecutive patients were included before the COVID-19 pandemic for 20 days and 251 patients during COVID-19 for 10 working days. The mean age was 61 years before and 57 during the pandemic. Of both groups, 74% were women. The most frequently attended pathologies before and during COVID-19 were rheumatoid arthritis and spondyloarthropathies. Scheduled face-to-face visits decreased during COVID-19 (46.5% versus 1.6%), with an increased number of phone scheduled visits (2.8% versus 52.2%) and spontaneous consultations either by phone or e-mail (28.3% versus 45%). The type of scheduled visits during COVID-19 were for stable diseases (20% versus 37%) and monitoring (12% versus 38%). The reason for spontaneous consultation increased during COVID-19 and were mainly doubts regarding prevention measures and treatment optimization (13.8% versus 31.1%). The first wave of COVID-19 brought to rheumatology nursing consultation a global increase in all activities in the number of visits per day, in the number of stable patient controls, in monitoring and answering patient concerns. Comparar el cambio en la actividad asistencial realizada en una consulta de enfermería reumatológica antes y durante la pandemia. Estudio descriptivo y observacional de 254 pacientes consecutivos antes y 251 durante. El tipo de visita programada presencial disminuyó durante COVID-19 (46,5% vs 1,6%), aumentando la visita programada telefónica (2,8% vs 52,2%) y las consultas espontáneas a través del teléfono o email (28,3% vs 45%). Las funciones realizadas en las programadas fueron el control del paciente estable (20% vs 37%) y la gestión (12% vs 38%). El motivo de consulta espontánea incrementó durante la COVID-19 sobre todo: dudas respecto a medidas de prevención y optimización de tratamiento (13,8% vs 31,1%). La primera ola de la COVID-19 generó en la consulta de enfermería un incremento global de todas las actividades: número de visitas/día, en el número de controles de pacientes estables, en gestión y en la resolución de dudas.