The Rheumatology Nurses Society (RNS) is a professional organization committed to empowering nurses through professional development and education to benefit its members, patients, family, and community. The Rheumatology Nurses Society (RNS) began with the passion of three nurses—Therese Dexter, RN, BSN, Elizabeth Grace, RN, and Vicky Ruffing, RN—who had a vision to empower other nurses through education and support in order to make a positive difference in the lives of patients with rheumatic disease. The end of the 1990s revolutionized the field of rheumatology with the advent of biologic agents for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. At this time, there was a significant increase in the need for rheumatology nurses and other healthcare professionals who specialize in treating patients with rheumatic disorders. During the past decade, the need increased for nurses and healthcare professionals to gather to discuss therapeutic treatment options and how they impact patients’ lives. Nurses voiced concerns about a lack of resources on how to best educate their patients and their families and how to safely administer biologic agents, and about the need for established protocols and standardization. In May 2006, in Boston, Massachusetts, a small group of nurses met to discuss the needs of rheumatology nurses and established the idea and foundation for the Rheumatology Nurses Society. After that meeting, rheumatology nurses across the US were polled about their interest in forming such a society and the overwhelming response was that the need exists for a dedicated society that could lead nurses to excellence in the care of the patients with rheumatic conditions. With the assistance of Tracy Doyle, President of Phoenix Marketing Solutions, the RNS was officially formed in January 2007 as a not-for-profit professional organization, an organization for rheumatology nurses, created by rheumatology nurses. As the RNS moves forward, we have many objectives to accomplish. This is an organization dedicated to nurses and other healthcare professionals who are passionate about and dedicated to rheumatology and the promotion of excellence in the delivery of patient care. The RNS aims to become the gold standard of rheumatology nursing practice through nurse certification, the creation of rheumatology nursing standards and protocols, and by acting as a primary resource to healthcare professionals and the patients they serve.
