A study to assess the effect of nursing interventions at the weekend for people with stroke.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether additional therapy provided by nurses at the weekend improved the physical outcome for people with stroke on a stroke rehabilitation unit.


METHODS
A single blind randomized controlled trial.


METHODS
A 16-bed stroke rehabilitation unit in the north of England.


METHODS
Forty-one people with stroke were randomized by means of minimization to intervention and control groups.


METHODS
The intervention group received additional exercise at the weekend provided by the nursing staff and the control group received their usual care. Both groups received usual care during weekdays.


METHODS
The Motor Assessment Scale (MAS), the Barthel Index (BI) and length of stay in hospital.


RESULTS
No significant differences were found between the groups in terms of MAS and BI at discharge but there was a borderline significant difference between the groups on unconditional testing in terms of length of stay in hospital and on the stroke unit (p = 0.05 and p = 0.07 respectively). However, these findings were in favour of the control group. On conditional testing (adjusting for BI on admission and age) these differences disappeared (p = 0.14 and p = 0.15) for length of stay in hospital and on the stroke unit respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study indicates that an increase in one-to-one input by nurses for people with stroke did not lead to a measurable difference in outcome in this small study.
Davidson
Ian
I
Manchester School of Physiotherapy, University of Manchester, UK. ian.davidson@manchester.ac.uk
Hillier
Valerie F
VF
Waters
Karen
K
Walton
Timothy
T
Booth
Joanne
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers; D020521:Stroke / Q000451:nursing; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D013997:Time Factors