Nurse-led care (NLC) for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is effective, acceptable, and safe as compared with other models, a recent study found. Researchers searched medical literature databases from 1950 to January 2015. English-language studies were selected if they reported on NLC for patients with RA and assessed 1 or more dimensions of quality (effectiveness, acceptability, efficiency, accessibility, appropriateness, and safety); 10 studies were included. They found:

• The NLC models varied in terms of nurses’ professional designation (clinical nurse specialists or nurse practitioners); however, their role in the clinic was fairly consistent.
• Disease activity was the most common measure of effectiveness, with NLC being equal (n=2) or superior (n=3) to the comparator.
• NLC was equal (n=1) or superior (n=5) vs the comparator in terms of patient satisfaction (ie, acceptability of care).
• NLC was equally safe as other models (n=2).