A theoretical description of the nursing role in stroke rehabilitation rema
ins elusive in the literature. The United Kingdom strategy for health servi
ce development will increasingly require nurses from all clinical specialit
ies to collaborate with other health care professionals and stakeholders to
evaluate the services they provide. In stroke rehabilitation, an understan
ding of the contribution that nursing makes is essential, if that collabora
tion is to be effective. This paper details a study undertaken to describe
the nature of the nursing role in stroke rehabilitation, and the factors th
at shape this role. A reflective enquiry was used to enable the collection
of data grounded in the realities of clinical practice. Study participants
were qualified nursing staff (n = 13) working in a rehabilitation unit in t
he north-west of England. A total of 35 in-depth reflections were obtained
for analysis. Three role categories were identified in the data: the nurse
as care giver, facilitator of personal recovery and care manager. Sub-categ
ories of nursing intervention were identified within each category, togethe
r with anticipated outcomes and contextual features that shaped the categor
y. The results of the study were verified by a purposive sample of nursing
staff from the rehabilitation unit.