Clinical staff's perceptions of transitional care from hospital to home for stroke patients: a qualitative study

The transition from hospital to home is a critical period for stroke survivors and their caregivers. This study explores the clinical staff's attitudes and perspectives on transitional care (from hospital to home) for stroke patients in the neurology department.

This qualitative descriptive phenomenological study involved semi-structured interviews with 15 clinical staff members in the neurology department of a tertiary hospital, conducted either face-to-face or via telephone. Colaizzi's method was used to analyze the data.

Five major themes emerged: (1) Clinical staff recognize the importance of transitional care for patients' recovery post-stroke and the value of building strong relationships with stroke patients; (2) There are diverse understandings of the definition of transitional care, doctors generally have a more accurate understanding, while nurses' understanding of transitional care needs improvement; (3) Staff perceive challenges in implementing transitional care, including a lack of self-directed learning, time constraints, and limited opportunities for continuous learning; (4) There is a consistent need for education, both doctors and nurses expressed a desire for training, but nurses require fair opportunities for ongoing learning; (5) The establishment of advanced (nursing) specialists is recommended, including specific work positions or specialized professionals.

Clinical staff in the neurology department could recognize the significance of transitional care for stroke patients. However, heavy workloads, inadequate competence, and limited learning opportunities reported by nurses hinder their participation in transitional care. To ensure quality transitional care, nurses, in particular, need equitable access to training in areas such as stroke pathophysiology, rehabilitation, symptom monitoring and evaluation, communication, and educational skills. Guidance from clinical specialists is strongly recommended to enhance the implementation and quality of transitional care.