Mikiko Sato, MSN, RN, PHN, Takeshi Hyakuta, PhD, RN, PHN
Jpn J Compr Rehabil Sci 14: 39-48, 2023
Objective: To clarify the level of awareness of and
support for post-stroke fatigue among medical
professionals working in recovery phase rehabilitation
wards.
Methods: We conducted a questionnaire survey
targeting all medical professionals (physicians, nurses,
physical therapists, occupational therapists, and
speech therapists) working in recovery phase
rehabilitation wards of three facilities to evaluate their
awareness of post-stroke fatigue and the support they
were offering to address this. Quantitative data were
subjected to statistical analysis and free description
data were subjected to content analysis.
Results: Of the 130 participants, we obtained responses
from 94 (collection rate, 72.3%; valid response rate,
100%). Those who felt that post-stroke patients are
always tired or tire easily comprised 63.8%. Those who
acknowledged the importance of post-stroke fatigue as
a problem and that it is an issue that must be addressed
comprised 70.2% and 73.4%, respectively. Issues
emerging due to post-stroke fatigue were extracted as
follows: "Difficulty continuing with rehabilitation,"
"Decreased drive," "Difficulty with emotional control/
depression," "Fewer interactions with others," and
"Loss of goals." Support for post-stroke fatigue was
offered by 57.4% of medical professionals, most
commonly as individual support such as "Ensure rest."
The effects of support were described as "Cannot say
either way" (44.4%), with 3.7% noting that they were
not very effective. Awareness and support rates among
therapists were significantly higher than those among
nurses.
Conclusions: Post-stroke fatigue is acknowledged by
medical professionals as a critical issue that negatively
influences the patient's physical, emotional, and daily
living functions. Unfortunately, effective support is
not currently being offered, demonstrating the need for
the development of appropriate interventions.
Key words: post-stroke fatigue, support, recovery phase rehabilitation ward, survey of medical professionals