People with RA report not only informational, but also emotional support needs at diagnosis. The potential for delivering emotional support to patients around the time of diagnosis warrants further exploration.

The offer to attend a nurse clinic soon after diagnosis allowed RA patients to discuss a wide range of practical and self-management issues. However, most patients also took the opportunity and time to discuss emotional reactions and adaptations to diagnosis. The data suggest an unmet need for emotional support that a nurse clinic might be able to provide.