Introduction: Complex care for patients with chronic diseases such as multiple sclerosis is a prerequisite for improving the quality of life of both patients and their families. These cares are planned by nurses, working in outpatient care.
Aim: The aim of this paper is to investigate the opinion of outpatient care nurses about the effectiveness of nursing care for patients with chronic diseases.
Materials and Methods: A survey was conducted among outpatient nurses (n=50) between December 2015 and April 2016. The used methods were documentary, sociological (questionnaire), statistical and graphic analysis.
Results and Discussion: Fifty nurses were interviewed and 64% of them work with a neurologist in outpatient care and 36% work for general practitioners. Most of the respondents (88%) considered that periodic refreshing and enrichment of professional competencies is necessary. Almost all of the respondents (96%) support the idea of continuing education and 92% express their willingness to invest time in continuing education. The preferred form is a short specialized course (58%).
Conclusion: Continuing education for nurses in outpatient care is a key element in improving the quality of life of patients with chronic diseases. The idea of continuing education for nurses finds support from almost everyone. The presented choice of form of education probably reflects not only their opinion but also their personal abilities. The strong pursuit of continuing training is evidenced by the willingness of the majority to invest time and money.
Experience in many European countries has shown that nurses have taken their place in multidisciplinary practices. This process in Bulgaria is at an early stage. Outpatient care nurses need to acquire new knowledge and skills to be able to organize comprehensive training events for patients and their relatives.
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