STROKE NURSING-CARE AND MANAGEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY - A SURVEY OF DISTRICT NURSES PERCEIVED CONTRIBUTION IN ONE HEALTH DISTRICT IN ENGLAND

Little appears to have been written about how district nurses perceive their role in relation to the care and management of stroke patients in the community despite the high number of stroke patients on their c ase loads. A qualitative study using a semi-structured interview was u ndertaken with a convenience sample of 30 district nurses representing each locality in one health district in England. Findings suggest tha t district nurses do not have a major role in the rehabilitation of st roke patients in the community and generally become involved in their care once the patient's chronicity has reached the point of inability to meet self-care demand, or the carer is unable to cope.