Caring without burning out: How smarter workload strategies for (multiple sclerosis) nurses can safeguard qualitative care in European healthcare systems

Context

Over 1 million Europeans live with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), most diagnosed in their 20s and 30s. MS is a chronic disease of the central nervous system, causing symptoms such as fatigue, vision and motor problems, cognitive changes, and difficulties with speech, mobility, and bladder function.

• 80% of people with MS are unemployed within 10–15 years of diagnosis.
• 40–60% reduce social and leisure activities, especially in advanced stages.
• There is no cure, but modern therapies and rehabilitation can delay disability and improve quality of life, work participation, and wellbeing.

Specialised nurses are essential to make therapies effective. They are the workforce ensuring:

• monitoring MS drug treatment efficacy,
• managing complex symptoms and side effects,
• providing comprehensive patient education and
• supporting diagnostics procedures. 

In 2024, MS Nurse PROfessional launched a survey to collect insights on the workload management of nurses caring for people with MS*.

Find the abstract below:

BACKGROUND: MS Nurse PROfessional is an educational program designed to support nurses caring for people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS), serving as a platform to increase knowledge and share expertise. As part of advocating to improve working conditions, MS Nurse PROfessional conducted a survey to describe workload practices of nurses in Europe caring for PwMS, and survey their opinions on potential solutions to address tasks currently left undone.

METHODS: The online survey included questions around demographics, professional background, and workload management. It was made available in ten languages to MS Nurse PROfessional community members and other MS nurses.

RESULTS: 108 nurses from 15 countries were included. 74% (n=78) of respondents have a caseload >300 PwMS per year, which equates to a mean average caseload of 516 PwMS per MS nurse. The majority of nurses (69%) spend between 30 minutes and 3 hours on each consultation, including follow-up tasks. Nurses dedicate most time to treatment and symptom management. Work left undone due to time constraints includes clinical trials, social benefits advice, team consulting, psychological interventions/support, and paperwork completion. Over half of nurses surveyed have limited administrative support. Findings indicate that the nursing community is advocating for an increase in the number of nurse colleagues, increased access to psychological support for the PwMS, the ability for nurses to refer to a multidisciplinary care team and the ability to independently prescribe certain medications.

CONCLUSIONS: This survey of nurses caring for PwMS provides useful insights into current workload practices and awareness of their improved management.

In short, the findings reveal alarming trends: 

• An average caseload of 516 patients per nurse, far above the recommended level;
• Widespread unfinished clinical and psychosocial work, largely due to excessive administrative burden and lack of integrated care;
• Strong consensus among MS nurses on the need for systemic change: more specialised staff, integrated and multidisciplinary care teams, streamlined processes, and referral authority.  
  

*Find additional information here.

We want to confront the systemic challenges faced in multiple sclerosis (MS) care and to present concrete recommendations that can both improve patient outcomes and enhance nurses’ working conditions.

Join us in shaping that future!