Education of patients in inflammatory rheumatic diseases – recommendations of the European League Against Rheumatism, evaluation of educational needs – Pol-ENAT

Rheumatology patients should be subjected to comprehensive therapeutic treatment, with regard to medical objectives such as stopping the progress of disease, as well objectives oriented to the individual needs of the patient’s education – its task is to provide the patient and his/her family with the necessary knowledge and methods of comprehensive therapeutic and behavioural treatment. It is recommended that patients and their caregivers know and understand the basic principles of treatment and self-care that can help in the reduction of pain, disease-related suffering, and disability. Studies show that education is beneficial for coping with the disease; therefore, it should be adjusted to the patients’ needs and expectations. Tools for evaluating educational needs (Pol-ENAT) might be helpful in rheumatological practice and in giving an accurate diagnosis of the patients’ problems. According to the recommendations of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR), a nurse is assigned the role of educator in an interdisciplinary treatment of rheumatic diseases. The aim of the manuscript is to discuss EULAR recommendations for patient education and to present the Pol-ENAT research tool. Compliance with recommendations and identification of the educational needs of patients allows adequate measures to be taken by health professionals, aimed at improvement of life quality in rheumatology patients, which can bring better functioning and thus a better quality of life.