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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2022 Dec 1;30(6):e249.
doi: 10.1097/jnr.0000000000000529.

Nurse-Led Motor Function Rehabilitation Program for Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Randomized Pilot Study

Jianmiao Wang  1 , Yuping Zhang  2 , Yuanyuan Chen  3 , Mei Li  4 , Jingfen Jin  5
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Nurse-Led Motor Function Rehabilitation Program for Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Randomized Pilot Study

Jianmiao Wang et al. J Nurs Res. .

Abstract

Background: Rehabilitation care for patients with stroke in the acute stage must be strengthened. However, the evidence on how to strengthen this care is insufficient.

Purpose: This article was designed to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of implementing a nurse-led motor function rehabilitation program on patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Methods: From January to October 2018, patients with initial acute ischemic stroke were assigned to one of two groups using a pilot randomized controlled trial design, with one group receiving a nurse-led motor function intervention program developed based on Orem's theory (7 consecutive days, twice daily for 30 minutes, experimental group) and the other receiving usual care (control group). The effectiveness measures included changes in the Motor Assessment Scale, the modified Barthel Index, and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale. The feasibility measures included patient retention rate, incidence of adverse events, and acceptance of nurses and patients.

Results: We assigned 104 patients (male: 55.7%; age: 62.8 ± 13.2 years) to receive either a nurse-led motor function rehabilitation program or usual care. Eighty-eight patients were evaluated after 7 days (87% retention rate), including 43 (83% retention rate) in the experimental group. Patients accepted the intervention well, and no severe adverse events were reported. Nurses had good fidelity and showed high acceptance. The experimental group showed significantly higher postintervention Motor Assessment Scale and modified Barthel Index scores than the control group (p < .001), whereas postintervention National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores did not differ significantly between the two groups.

Conclusions/implications for practice: The nurse-led rehabilitation program used in this study was shown to be feasible and effective in improving motor function in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Further study is recommended to determine related clinical recommendations.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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