Citation

Scruth E. Res. Nurs. Health 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Tele Critical Care, Regional Quality Division, Northern California Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, California.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/nur.22026

PMID

32394469

Abstract

Persons suffering from a stroke often experience long‐lasting complications after rehabilitation. One of the most common complications involves falls (Denissen et al., 2019). The decline of neuromotor performance caused by the underlying disease resulting in a stroke contributes to the majority of falls in stroke survivors (Yang and Butler, 2020). Muscle weakness, impairment in balance, loss of sensation, and limited mobility after a stroke increase the likelihood of a fall (Yang and Butler, 2020). Falls result in further complications for stroke survivors placing both psychological and economic burdens on the person and the family.

Walking recovery for stroke survivors is the most important priority. Research to date has shown that only 50% of stroke survivors demonstrate walking improvements after rehabilitation (Little, Perry, Mercado, Kautz, & Patten, 2020) Nurses caring for stroke survivors play an important role in balancing the goals of the patient with the trajectory of the diagnosis and aims of rehabilitation. Additionally, nurses must understand the type of gait disorders the stroke has resulted in. Stroke survivors often have gait asymmetries, which fall into two categories: spatial and temporal. Both gait asymmetries are predictors of falls in stroke survivors (Little et al., 2020).

Preventing falls in stroke survivors has resulted in various exercise‐based fall prevention training programs being developed and outcomes published (Little et al., 2020). Interventions aimed at preventing falls in stroke survivors in the literature to date include assistive devices, post‐hospitalization intensive therapy through home visits, brain stimulation, and targeted exercises (Denissen et al., 2019). Preventing falls both in the hospital setting and in the home for the stroke survivor starts early in the hospitalization with the nurse and other healthcare team members and involves many different interventions ...

Language: en