Collaboration and implementation of an annual comprehensive stroke education program

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Stroke Care
• Healthcare Collaboration

Background:

• Providing quality stroke patient care necessitates comprehensive education for all healthcare staff.
• Staff development educators typically lead hospital employee training initiatives.
• Existing educational programs may not fully integrate direct-care nursing expertise.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a unique, collaborative educational program for stroke patient care.
• To highlight the integral role of direct-care nurses in program development and delivery.
• To emphasize the importance of stakeholder involvement in nursing education.

Main Methods:

• A multidisciplinary team, including non-clinical staff and various nursing specialties (medical-surgical, transitional care, critical care), collaborated on program design.
• Direct-care nurses were actively involved in the development, implementation, and ongoing maintenance of the annual educational program.
• Participating nurses served as educators and staffed "stroke stations" during a Unit Skills Day event.

Main Results:

• The program successfully met the educational needs of diverse healthcare staff involved in stroke patient care.
• Direct-care nurses' involvement ensured practical, relevant, and effective training content and delivery.
• The collaborative approach fostered a shared commitment to improving stroke care quality.

Conclusions:

• Collaborative program design involving all stakeholders, especially direct-care nurses, is crucial for successful staff education in stroke care.
• Integrating frontline nurses' expertise enhances the relevance and impact of educational initiatives.
• This model demonstrates a successful strategy for improving the quality of care for stroke patients through targeted education.