Role of the Nurse in a Center of Excellence in Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Colombia

Background: In a multidisciplinary model, the nurse becomes the first contact with the patient fulfilling a primordial role, since she generates a bond of trust that favors empathy, delivery of education, specific treatment indications and continuous follow-up. It is also a bridge between patients and the multidisciplinary group allowing a holistic and personalized management. We propose to describe the role played by the head nurse in the Center of Excellence in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) of the International Hospital of Colombia (HIC). Objective: To describe the interventions carried out by the head nurse of the IBD center of excellence to improve the quality of life of patients with this condition. Materials and Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study in which the activities carried out by the head nurse of the center of excellence in IBD (CEIBD) since September 2022. Results: Within the strategy of the center of excellence, the role of the nurse is fundamental, carrying out an educational and assistance task with accompaniment and follow-up for both patients and their caregivers, with the aim of having an impact on the improvement of their quality of life. One of the strategies that have had more adherence on the part of the patients has been the creation of a program. In addition to the activities that are done within the office, the CEIBD nurse has participated in the organization, development and also as a lecturer at the I symposium for physicians and patients of the CEIBD in which 33 patients and 110 doctors of the region attended, and is also part of the multidisciplinary meetings called “Dilemmas in IBD”, which are held monthly, integrating all physicians of the multidisciplinary group of the CEIBD. In addition, the activities carried out included the commemoration of the World IBD Day with the participation of 131 patients and their families, with the nurse in charge of the disease and the CEII informing them about the disease. Within the strategy to improve the quality of life of patients, the nurse has implemented several questionnaires to have an initial diagnosis of patients at this level and thus be able to implement new strategies for improvement, among the scales that have been evaluated are the IBDQ 32 (Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire 32), the EQ-5D, HAD scale of depression and anxiety and scale changes in sexual functioning questionnaire (CSFQ). Finally, periodic educational rounds have been developed within the HIC aimed at patients, family members and collaborators with more than 350 participants in each session in order to raise awareness of the general population about the existence of this disease. Conclusions: we favor an excellent and close relationship between the head nurse and IBD patients, which promotes the creation of a satisfactory process of help, education and follow-up, allowing the patient to adapt to his new situation, to his needs in daily activities, improving the degree of acceptance, satisfaction with the care received and the feeling of control over his disease, in each of the different phases of the disease.