Nursing at a specialist diagnostic clinic for multiple sclerosis

Abstract

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) need support, information, education and guidance in order to adapt effectively to the impact of the disease (Sheridan, 1997). The care received at the time of diagnosis is central to this adaptation process as the information given and received may impact on the person with MS for the rest of his/her life. In order to achieve effective coping strategies, the person with MS needs to develop a collaborative relationship with the team of healthcare professionals. At the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN), University College London Hospital (UCLH), the MS team believes that the foundations of this relationship should be cemented at the diagnostic stage. This article describes a diagnostic model that facilitates accurate timely diagnosis of MS and the role of the MS nurse in providing expert clinical assessment, guidance, support and education in order to help the patient adjust to the disease.