The feasibility and effectiveness of telecare consultations in a nurse-led post-acute stroke clinic.

Abstract

Telecare may provide an alternative to maintaining post-acute stroke care services in making benefit to both the providers and the stroke survivors, although study is needed to investigate its feasibility and effectiveness in integrating this innovative delivery mode into a routine. The objectives of this study are to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of telecare consultations in a nurse-led post-acute stroke clinic. A pre- and post-test one group quasi-experimental design was adopted. Subjects were recruited in the clinic and received three secondary stroke care consultations in 3 months via telecare from stroke nurses. Data were collected at pre- and post-intervention. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare the two time-points for differences in effectiveness. Ninety-two stroke survivors participated. The drop-out rate was 27%. The majority perceived the programme as time-friendly and cost-saving and as alleviating their health-related worries. At the 3-month follow-up, notable improvements were observed in the activities of daily living and the strength domain of stroke-specific quality of life. Integrating telecare consultations within nurse-led stroke clinics is a feasible and acceptable strategy for monitoring the health and fostering the self-care abilities of individuals following their discharge from hospital after an acute stroke episode.