RESULTS Studies of task-related training showed benefits for functional outcome compared with traditional therapies .
Active use of task-oriented training with stroke survivors will lead to improvements in functional outcomes and overall health-related quality of life .
CONCLUSION Generally , task-oriented rehabilitation proved to be more effective .
Many interventions are feasible for nurses and can be performed in a ward or at home .
AIM This paper is a report of a review conducted to provide an overview of the evidence in the literature on task-oriented training of stroke survivors and its relevance in daily nursing practice .
BACKGROUND Stroke is the second leading cause of death and one of the leading causes of adult disability in the Western world .
The use of neurodevelopmental treatment in the daily nursing care of stroke survivors does not improve clinical outcomes .
Nurses are therefore exploring other forms of rehabilitation intervention , including task-oriented rehabilitation .
Despite the growing number of studies showing evidence on task-oriented interventions , recommendations for daily nursing practice are lacking .
Neurodevelopmental treatment after stroke: a comparative study
Background : Neurodevelopmental treatment ( NDT ) is a rehabilitation approach increasingly used in the care of stroke patients , although no evidence has been provided for its efficacy . Objective : To investigate the effects of NDT on the functional status and quality of life ( QoL ) of patients with stroke during one year after stroke onset . Methods : 324 consecutive patients with stroke from 12 Dutch hospitals were included in a prospect i ve , non-r and omised , parallel group study . In the experimental group ( n = 223 ) , nurses and physiotherapists from six neurological wards used the NDT approach , while conventional treatment was used in six control wards ( n = 101 ) . Functional status was assessed by the Barthel index . Primary outcome was “ poor outcome ” , defined as Barthel index < 12 or death after one year . QoL was assessed with the 30 item version of the sickness impact profile ( SA-SIP30 ) and the visual analogue scale . Results : At 12 months , 59 patients ( 27 % ) in the NDT group and 24 ( 24 % ) in the non-NDT group had poor outcome ( corresponding adjusted odds ratio = 1.7 ( 95 % confidence interval , 0.8 to 3.5 ) ) . At discharge the adjusted odds ratio was 0.8 ( 0.4 to 1.5 ) and after six months it was 1.6 ( 0.8 to 3.2 ) . Adjusted mean differences in the two QoL measures showed no significant differences between the study groups at six or 12 months after stroke onset . Conclusions : The NDT approach was not found effective in the care of stroke patients in the hospital setting . Health care professionals need to reconsider the use of this approach
RESULTS Studies of task-related training showed benefits for functional outcome compared with traditional therapies .
Active use of task-oriented training with stroke survivors will lead to improvements in functional outcomes and overall health-related quality of life .
CONCLUSION Generally , task-oriented rehabilitation proved to be more effective .
Many interventions are feasible for nurses and can be performed in a ward or at home .
AIM This paper is a report of a review conducted to provide an overview of the evidence in the literature on task-oriented training of stroke survivors and its relevance in daily nursing practice .
BACKGROUND Stroke is the second leading cause of death and one of the leading causes of adult disability in the Western world .
The use of neurodevelopmental treatment in the daily nursing care of stroke survivors does not improve clinical outcomes .
Nurses are therefore exploring other forms of rehabilitation intervention , including task-oriented rehabilitation .
Despite the growing number of studies showing evidence on task-oriented interventions , recommendations for daily nursing practice are lacking .