Article

Nurses' contribution during inpatient rehabilitation is well documented.
However, despite being the largest professional group in this setting, the
specialty of rehabilitation nursing is poorly recognised.
This article reports on
the first of a four-phase study that aimed to clarify and develop the nursing
contribution to inpatient rehabilitation for older persons.
The aim of this study
was to identify activity patterns and time use during daytime and evenings of
older adult patients undergoing inpatient rehabilitation.
METHODS: Direct
observation using behavioural modelling was undertaken of a convenience sample of
37 older people undergoing inpatient rehabilitation in a specialist unit of a
large tertiary hospital in New Zealand. The primary outcome was the observation
of meaningful activity. Binomial logistic regression was used to study the
association between relevant variables. FINDINGS: Meaningful activity was most
likely to involve walking without assistance and to occur 08:00 to 14:00 h and
16:00 to 21:00 h during weekdays. Patients were more likely to receive treatment
during the weekend. Irrespective of time, registered nurses were the health
professionals most often present with patients.
CONCLUSIONS: There is likely to
be unrealised opportunities for registered nurses to support improved
rehabilitation outcomes. Registered nurses' involvement in rehabilitation needs
to be actively optimised. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION: Nurses' engagement
with older adults in rehabilitation settings is likely to be substantial, placing
them as key members of the rehabilitation team. Nurses make a pivotal
contribution to inpatient rehabilitation based on specialised knowledge and
skills but this contribution is not well understood. Opportunities are likely, at
times when allied health professionals are less often present, e.g. evenings and
weekends, for registered nurses to more intentionally overlap rehabilitation activities with other care requirements.

Langue : ANGLAIS