Due to the complexity and multi-system involvement of the rheumatologic diseases, nurses who are transitioning into rheumatology office practice are challenged to adapt their nursing skills and develop additional ones that are required for the multi-faceted care and management of this special patient population. Although numerous resources on the topic of rheumatology are available, many are not useful for the entry-level rheumatology nurse as the level of presentation may be either too complex (for researchers or rheumatologists) or too basic (patient education).

Currently, although appropriate educational materials are available, they are widely distributed and may require considerable time and effort to find and evaluate and then consume and implement. This course is intended to target the specific needs of rheumatology office nurses and other clinicians by providing one easy-to-access online source that offers an evidence-based, current, comprehensive overview of the rheumatologic disorders and rheumatology nursing practice.

The American College of Rheumatology and the Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals are proud to add Fundamentals of Rheumatology Course to our portfolio of exceptional educational products. We wish to commend the many individuals involved in the development of this program, including the module authors and reviewers, the ACR and ARHP staff, Doppler Studio of Atlanta, GA and especially the scientific editor Geri B. Neuberger, RN, EdD; managing editor Emily Delzell, BA; and copyright editor Christie Stephens, BA, Communications/Media for their expertise and significant contributions in advancing the knowledge and skills of health professionals in the field of rheumatology.