The clinical speciality of rheumatology nursing in Ireland has grown since the late 1990’s in parallel with the clinical career pathway for nursing and adherent nurse education.

Formal academic accredited nurse education programmes are established at post-graduate level since 2002.

To bridge the gap between under and post graduate level education, Connolly Hospital and the Irish Rheumatology Nursing Forum (IRNF) established, since 2012, a Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) Category 1 approved education programme. This programme addresses the educational needs of nurses (either established or new to this clinical specialty) who provide healthcare to patients with chronic rheumatic musculoskeletal disease (RMDs). This programme endeavours to nurture the rheumatology nursing career pathway in Ireland for the purpose of service development for people with RMDs.