Differences of nursing care for patients with multiple sclerosis depending on the care provider

This bachelor thesis deals with the disease Multiple sclerosis (MS) and Nursing Care which is provided to the patients at the Standard Neurological Ward and in Multiple Sclerosis Center (MS Center). The theoretic part is devoted to anatomy and physiology of nervous system, the definition of the disease, etiology, clinical signs, process and prognosis of the disease, diagnostics, and treatment. Next it describes the facilities that providing care to patients with Multiple sclerosis. The end of the theoretic part is about Nursing Process and about specifics of Nursing Care for patients with Multiple sclerosis. Three research objectives were defined in the empiric part of this bachelor thesis: find out the role of nurses, find the differences in Nursing Care for MS patients in Specialized Outpatient Wards and at the Standard Neurological Ward and map the MS patients experiences with Nursing Care at these facilities. To achieve the determined objectives qualitative research was used. Data collection was done through in-depth interviews with the nurses from the Neurological ward at the Standard Neurological Ward and in MS Center and directly with patients who suffer from Multiple sclerosis. The obtained information was processed by open coding, paper and pencil interviewing. The results showed that the differences in Nursing Care for patients with Multiple sclerosis are especially in the amount of provided nursing care, educational activity and the condition of patients which come to the MS Center and which are hospitalized at the Standard Neurological Ward. The results also show that the nurse takes an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of MS in both facilities. Interviewed patients reported mostly positive experiences with Nursing Care provided in both types of facilities.