32: You're going into rehab

You’re going into rehab ($3,000)

A grant was awarded to Juliet Sondermeyer CNC/Lecturer to explore patient experiences of the transfer from an acute care environment to a rehabilitation unit. The objectives are:

• to describe patients’ knowledge of rehabilitation across time while hospitalised in acute
and rehabilitation settings;
• to identify the nature of nursing care in acute and rehabilitation settings;
• to describe patients’ perceptions of their futures across time while hospitalised in acute
and rehabilitation settings.

Following a serious interruption to health, eg stroke, it is not uncommon for patients to be transferred from the acute ward to a designated rehabilitation setting where the emphasis moves to the restoration of function and the promotion of self care and independence.

The way patients ‘feel’ at this critical time affects the progress made towards recovery. Current literature on this important topic contains no evidence of an exploration of the positive contribution rehabilitation may have on a patient’s outlook or sense of coherence. The findings of this pilot study will provide valuable guidance for the development of further research and promote better care.