Effect of a physiotherapist-led training programme on attitudes of nurses caring for patients after stroke

Background: A multidisciplinary project team developed a five-month physiot herapist-led training programme designed to enhance nurses rehabilitation s kills. Aims: Investigation of the effects of the training programme on nurses atti tudes to patients with stroke. Method: An attitude questionnaire was completed by the participating nurses before and after the training programme. in a complementary qualitative ev aluation the nurses' expectations and views of the training programme were explored. Results: Analysis of the attitude questionnaire indicated that the programm e was successful in positively influencing the nurses' attitudes (median of the change in score 2, p = 0.005). The qualitative interviews reflected a similar outcome, Conclusions: Quantitative and qualitative evaluation indicates that the tra ining programme had some effect in changing nurses' attitudes to treating p atients after a stroke. Such a training programme could be a useful contrib ution to post-stroke care.