Raising Stroke Prevention Champions: Evaluation of a Nurse-Led Primary Health Care Nurse Training Intervention

Background: Globally, stroke is a significant health problem and is considered one of the leading causes of mortality and permanent disability worldwide. Nurses are key stakeholders and integral members of the stroke care team, contributing to every stage of care. Objective: This study aimed to assess the effects of a nurse-led stroke training program on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of registered nurses working in Berea primary health care facilities, Lesotho, before and after an educational intervention. Methods: To evaluate the effectiveness of the nurse-led intervention, this study used a pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design. Participants completed a structured questionnaire before the intervention to assess their baseline knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to stroke. Following the intervention, which consisted of educational sessions led by trained nurses, the same questionnaire was administered again to measure changes in participants' knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Paired t-tests compared results. Results: A total of 34 registered nurses from 18 primary healthcare facilities participated in this pre- and post-intervention questionnaire study. When comparing knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to stroke before and after the educational intervention, the increase in correct response rates was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The training evaluation received positive feedback from the participants. Conclusions: Structured nurse-led educational interventions enhance nurses' knowledge, attitudes, and practices in stroke care, leading to improved patient outcomes and stronger community-based prevention. These findings highlight the need to integrate continuous stroke education into nursing policies and primary health care practice.