Given that stroke is a leading cause of disability and mortality worldwide, there is an urgent need for a coordinated healthcare approach to mitigate its effects. The objectives of this study were to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of stroke integrated care models and develop recommendations for a representative model.
A systematic review and meta-analysis.
The literature search identified randomized controlled trials comparing integrated care models with standard care for stroke patients. The included studies followed PICOs inclusion criteria. The qualitative analysis included creating a flowchart for the literature screening process, and tables detailing the basic characteristics of the included studies, the adherence to the ten principles and the results of the quality assessments. Subsequently, quantitative meta-analytical procedures were conducted to statistically pool the data and quantify the effects of the integrated care models on stroke patients' health-related quality of life, activities of daily living, and depression. The China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data, Chongqing VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database (VIP), China Biology Medicine Disc (CBMDISC), Cochrane Library, Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Google Scholar, and Clinical Trials were searched from inception to March 13, 2024.
Of the 2547 obtained articles, 19 were systematically reviewed and 15 were included in the meta-analysis. The integrated care models enhanced stroke patients' health-related quality of life, ability to perform activities of daily living, and reduced depression. Adherence to the 10 principles varied: comprehensive services, patient focus, and standardized care delivery had strong implementation, while gaps were noted in geographic coverage, information systems, governance structures, and financial management.
Integrated care models improve outcomes for stroke patients and adherence to the 10 principles is vital for their implementation success. This study's findings call for a more standardized approach to implementing integrated care models, emphasizing the need for integrated services, patient-centred care, and interdisciplinary collaboration, while also addressing the identified gaps in terms of integration efforts.
This study provides evidence-based recommendations on the most effective integrated care approaches for stroke patients, potentially leading to better patient outcomes, reduced healthcare costs, and improved quality of life.
In order to be positioned to address the increasing strain of burnout and worsening nurse shortage, a better understanding of factors that contribute to nursing workload is required. This study aims to examine the difference between order-based and clinically perceived nursing workloads and to quantify factors that contribute to a higher clinically perceived workload.
A retrospective cohort study was used on an observational dataset.
We combined patient flow, nurse staffing and assignment, and workload intensity data and used multivariate linear regression to analyze how various shift, patient, and nurse-level factors, beyond order-based workload, affect nurses' clinically perceived workload.
Among 53% of our samples, the clinically perceived workload is higher than the order-based workload. Factors associated with a higher clinically perceived workload include weekend or night shifts, shifts with a higher census, patients within the first 24 h of admission, and male patients.
The order-based workload measures tended to underestimate nurses' clinically perceived workload. We identified and quantified factors that contribute to a higher clinically perceived workload, discussed the potential mechanisms as to how these factors affect the clinically perceived workload, and proposed targeted interventions to better manage nursing workload.
By identifying factors associated with a high clinically perceived workload, the nurse manager can provide appropriate interventions to lighten nursing workload, which may further reduce the risk of nurse burnout and shortage.
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is associated with multiple adverse health consequences. Nurses (including midwives) are well positioned to identify patients subjected to IPV, and provide care, support, and referrals. However, studies about nursing response to IPV are limited especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The study aimed to examine nurses' perceived preparedness and opinions toward IPV and to identify barriers and facilitators in responding to IPV.
An explanatory sequential mixed-methods study was conducted by collecting quantitative data first and explaining the quantitative findings with qualitative data.
The study was conducted in two tertiary general hospitals in northeastern (Shenyang city) and southwestern (Chengdu city) China with 1500 and 1800 beds, respectively. A total of 1071 survey respondents (1039 female [97.0%]) and 43 interview participants (34 female [79.1%]) were included in the study. An online survey was administered from September 3 to 23, 2020, using two validated scales from the Physician Readiness to Manage Intimate Partner Violence Survey. In-depth, semistructured interviews were conducted from September 15 to December 23, 2020, guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research.
The survey respondents largely agreed with feeling prepared to manage IPV, e.g., respond to discourses (544 [50.8%] of 1071) and report to police (704 [65.7%] of 1071). The findings of surveyed opinions (i.e., Response competencies; Routine practice; Actual activities; Professionals; Victims; Alcohol/drugs) were mixed and intertwined with social desirability bias. The quantitative and qualitative data were consistent, contradicted, and supplemented. Key qualitative findings were revealed that may explain the quantitative results, including lack of actual preparedness, absence of IPV-related education, training, or practice, and socially desirable responses (especially those pertaining to China's Anti-domestic Violence Law). Commonly reported barriers (e.g., patients' reluctance to disclose; time constraints) and facilitators (e.g., patients' strong need for help; female nurses' gender advantage), as well as previously unreported barriers (e.g., IPV may become a workplace taboo if there are healthcare professionals known as victims/perpetrators of IPV) and facilitators (e.g., nurses' responses can largely meet the first-line support requirements even without formal education or training on IPV) were identified.
Nurses may play a unique and important role in responding to IPV in LMICs where recognition is limited, education and training are absent, policies are lacking, and resources are scarce. Our findings support World Health Organization recommendations for selective screening.
The study highlights the great potential of nurses for IPV prevention and intervention especially in LMICs. The identified barriers and facilitators are important evidence for developing multifaceted interventions to address IPV in the health sector.