Clinical Implications of Family-Centered Care in Stroke Rehabilitation

PURPOSE: Most stroke survivors will be cared for at home by family caregivers with limited training. Families actively involved in rehabilitation feel more prepared for the new responsibilities of caring for the stroke survivor. The focus of this article is to highlight the relevant concepts of a family-centered model of care and provide general guidance on how integrating a family-centered mindset may be clinically applicable. DESIGN: Concept Analysis. METHODS: Synthesis of literature on family-centered care and its application in for rehabilitation nurses. FINDINGS: Family-centered care is a model of collaborative healthcare that encourages collaboration and partnership among patients, families, and providers with respect to the planning, delivery, and evaluation of health care. Care provided within such a model can expand providers' knowledge of the impact of illness and any issues that may affect eventual transition back home. CONCLUSION: Rehabilitation nurses should view stroke patients and family caregivers as a unit. Using family-centered strategies can help nurses provide appropriate, individualized care during rehabilitation.