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A Qualitative Analysis of the Learning of Nursing Students Participating in an
Interaction Meeting with Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

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K. Hirai, K. Iwase, Y. Tanaka, and M. Nishizaka 1
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Adult Nursing, Kawasaki City College of Nursing, Japan

Background: Remission of rheumatoid arthritis has become possible due to advances in therapeutic
agents. However, even rheumatoid arthritis patients in remission often suffer from residual symptoms such
as pain, fatigue, and stiffness. Currently, it is difficult for nursing students to understand rheumatoid arthritis
patients, who often do not develop joint deformities as a result of treatment and appear to be no different
from healthy people.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to clarify the learning of nursing students who participated
in an interaction meeting with rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Methods: The feedback forms written by eight nursing students after the interaction meeting were
converted into data and used as research objects. Using qualitative descriptive methods, we extracted
categories of nursing students’ learning at a higher level of abstraction from the data.

Results: There were three learnings of the nursing students. The first was “understanding of rheumatoid
arthritis,” such as confirming their knowledge of rheumatoid arthritis and learning about the individuality
and diversity of symptoms; the second was “understanding the lives and difficulties of rheumatoid arthritis
patients,” such as learning about difficulties and innovations in social and daily life; and the third was
“understanding the need for nursing care tailored to individual situations that is close to the patient, and
the need for social and psychological support. The third was “how to relate to patients as a nurse,” such as
the need for nursing care tailored to their individual situations and the promotion of social understanding
and support.

Poster Presentation Abstracts
Conclusion: Interaction with rheumatoid arthritis patients helped the nurses to look at the patients’
real lives and to grasp the whole picture of the patients, including not only the physical but also the
psychological and social aspects. Furthermore, it was an opportunity to learn to recognize the necessary
support and role as a nurse.

Keywords: interaction meeting, rheumatoid arthritis

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Correspondence: Kojiro Hirai, Adult Nursing, Kawasaki City College of Nursing, Japan
E-mail: hirai-k@kawasaki-cn.ac.jp

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