Teaching
the Lupus Patient
The Patient
Information Sheets provide a wealth of information, and
are written in language that most patients will find easy
to understand. Health professionals should hand them out
to patients as appropriate during their discussions on specific
issues related to lupus. The sheets can be photocopied directly
from this guide, or they can be downloaded from the Web
site of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal
and Skin Diseases (http://www.nih.gov/niams/).
A set of the Patient Information Sheets can also be ordered
from the National Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin
Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NAMSIC) (see Chapter
8, Resources and Bibliography, for the NAMSIC address).
The following points may help health professionals use them
effectively.
Use
the Sheets to Complement Existing Teaching Efforts
Over time, the doctor and other members
of the health care team will probably discuss with a patient
much of the information contained in these sheets. However,
some patients may not absorb all the information given
to them verbally. The Patient Information Sheets can be
a useful backup. As the health professional talks through
an issue, he or she may want to refer to or highlight
specific sections of a sheet. This will help to reinforce
the information and show the patient where to find it
later.
Use
the Sheets Selectively
The Patient Information Sheets cover a
wide range of issues. Not all of them will be appropriate
for each patient. For example, the sheet on Serious Conditions
Associated With Lupus would not be appropriate for a patient
with mild lupus. On the other hand, the sheets on Skin
Care and Lupus and on Preventing Fatigue Due to Lupus
may be particularly useful for that patient. One approach
is to give the patient several of the more general Patient
Information Sheets initially, then see which others are
relevant as time goes on. When patients are first given
a prescription for a lupus medication, they should also
receive the Patient Information Sheet on that medication.
Use
the Sheets in Tandem
The information contained in a number of
the Patient Information Sheets is complementary, and it
may be helpful to give the patient several sheets together.
For example, the sheets on Exercise and Lupus and on Joint
Function and Lupus would work well together, as would
the sheets on Fever and Lupus and on NSAIDs or Corticosteroids.
Several of the sheets that contain more general information,
such as Living With Lupus or Preventing a Lupus Flare,
would be a good complement to many of the sheets dealing
with more specific topics.
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