Rehabilitation nursing for brain tumor patients: a scoping review

There is a lack of systematic reports on the status and roles of nurses in rehabilitation that significantly impact the functional prognosis and quality of life of brain tumor patients. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to conduct a scoping review on rehabilitation nursing for brain tumor patients.

Using the JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis, this research employed a scoping review design. CINAHL plus and PubMed databases were searched for literature published from 1947 to November 2023. Inclusion criteria covered articles including rehabilitation nursing for brain tumor patients and excluding pediatric studies, case reports, discussion papers, editorials, and expert opinions. The study is registered with UMIN-CTR (ID: UMIN000053136).

Following the adoption criteria, of the 2748 articles found 19 were selected. The literature selection adheres to PRISMA guidelines. The research designs included two RCTs, five longitudinal intervention studies, three systematic reviews, eight literature reviews, and one questionnaire survey. Among them, 15 articles discussed rehabilitation provided by nurses within a multidisciplinary rehabilitation, while four articles specifically addressed rehabilitation as one aspect of nursing care for brain tumor patients. The identified aspects were categorized as: information gathering and organization, meaning for the continuation of rehabilitation, prevention and management of secondary complications, family support, and collaboration with other healthcare professionals, all of which were consistently explained in all studies. Current challenges in rehabilitation nursing included a lack of studies on outcome measurement, insufficient knowledge and skills among nurses, and underdeveloped specialization in the field.

Nurses play a crucial role in collecting patient information and collaborating with healthcare professionals for effective rehabilitation. They address symptoms arising from the disease and treatment, contributing significantly to rehabilitation's effectiveness. However, research on rehabilitation nursing for brain tumor patients is limited, highlighting the need for further development in this area.