Effectiveness of Nursing Interventions for Poststroke Fatigue: A Systematic Review

This study aimed to examine the effects of nursing interventions on poststroke fatigue and analyze their characteristics.

This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the 2020 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.

The inclusion criteria were based on the Population, Intervention, Comparisons, Outcomes, Study Design (PICO-SD) framework, which focuses on adults with stroke, nurse-led interventions aimed at alleviating poststroke fatigue, and comparisons with usual care. The review included experimental and quasi-experimental studies. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO.

We included 10 studies that met the inclusion criteria. The Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 and ROBINS-I tools were used for study quality assessment. Methodological concerns were noted across several studies, particularly regarding blinding and study design. Most interventions were administered individually and included psychosocial interventions, physical activities, and self-management strategies.

Poststroke fatigue assessment and nursing interventions are relevant considerations in rehabilitation nursing practice.

Nursing interventions designed to alleviate poststroke fatigue in stroke patients were reported to have beneficial effects. These findings highlight the importance of proactive attention and involvement of nurses and multidisciplinary professionals in addressing poststroke fatigue among stroke survivors.