The development of a collaborative stroke training programme for nurses

The effectiveness of multidisciplinary stroke rehabilitation may be enhanced by nurses and therapists adopting a single consistent approach may be enhanced and mobilizing of patients. As patients can spend as little as 4% of the waking day receiving 'therapy' there is considerable potential for a more dynamic nursing intervention, which mag; contribute to improving patient care. We aimed to investigate whether physiotherapists could step back from direct patient treatment in order to participate in a structured training programme for nurses involved with patients recovering from stroke on an established elderly care rehabilitation ward in a district general hospital. Qualitative methods mere used within a participatory action research framework to describe the development process and content of the training programme. Nursing staff, physiotherapists and their respective managers were interviewed to identify; perceived training needs, This informed the structure and content of the training course and allowed insight into interprofessional working. We found that nursing staff were highly motivated to undertake rehabilitation training and to develop a more consistent interdisciplinary approach. A course of six theoretical and practical sessions, on normal movement, positioning and transferring patients, the upper limb, and gait re-education, was delivered to participating nursing staff over a five month period. This was supplemented by practical, informal individual patient/physiotherapist/nursing sessions. Details are provided for those wishing to replicate the course elsewhere. In conclusion, nursing staff, physiotherapists and physiotherapy tutors participated full in the establishment, development, delivery and review of the course. As participants in the project became committed to its aims, creative solutions were found to the practical problems which arose. The course addressed important professional issues and provided reasonable opportunities to practise skills.