Multiple Sclerosis Case Study Nursing Essay

This essay focuses on a patient encountered in clinical practice with the chronic long term condition multiple sclerosis (MS). The National Service Framework for Long Term Conditions (2005) defines a long term condition (LTC) as one which is incurable but manageable with therapeutic interventions. The patient’s name has been changed, and Trust identifiers’ removed to adhere to confidentiality as outlined in the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s Code of Professional Conduct 2008 (NMC 2010).

The second component to be explored will be collaborative working between the members of the healthcare team (Appendix 1). This will be done in conjunction with exploring the management approach The patient, referred to as Mrs. J, is 57 and was diagnosed with MS in her late twenties. She lives in a bungalow with her husband. Mrs. J worked as a sports teacher up to five years ago. She advised her retirement was not disease related but she would find it
The idea was to draw together expertise from patients and organizations to develop coping strategies which patients could take ownership of. The results of this was drawn together and published in 2001 by the Department of Health’s (DoH) document: The Expert Patient: A New Approach to Chronic Disease Management for the 21st Century. This highlighted, that by encouraging patients to take responsibility for managing their disease, progression of the disease trajectory could slow or be reversed. Having improved coping mechanisms should enhance patients’ perceptions of well-being, improving their sense of worth and ability to interact in society. Improved support networks could result in a transition back to employment for those of working age. Many Primary Care Trusts have embarked upon this scheme through Stepping Stones to Success published by DoH (2004) which teaches how to set up the Expert Patient