Functional mobility training for individuals admitted to acute care following a stroke: a prospective study.
OBJECTIVE
This study describes current stroke care within hospital acute care settings.


METHODS
Twenty-two acute care hospital sites in Central South Ontario were mailed a survey exploring the prevalence of stroke admissions, use of protocols and policies, staff resources, stroke-specific training, and available equipment. Corresponding site data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information were also analyzed.


RESULTS
An 82% survey response rate was obtained. In 2003-2004, stroke admissions represented 1.9% of total admissions, with a mean admitting resource intensity weight of 1.99. Average length of stay was 12.5 days, with 3.4 of these days designated awaiting an alternate level of care. One third of the sites reported that they had no written guidelines on how to position or mobilize individuals following a stroke, and very few of the sites reported providing stroke-specific education.


CONCLUSIONS
The lack of a consistent coordinated approach to early mobilization and physical care for individuals admitted to an acute care setting following a stroke necessitates that new opportunities to coordinate educational resources and services to promote evidence-based practice in acute stroke care be pursued.
Masters
Lisa
L
Rehabilitation Program, Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton, Canada.
Barreca
Susan
S
Ansley
Barb
B
Waid
Kelly
K
Buckley
Shannon
S
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000193:education; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019145:Rehabilitation Nursing / Q000193:education; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation