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 .
Team functioning and patient outcomes in stroke rehabilitation.
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the relationship between rehabilitation team functioning and stroke patient outcomes .  DESIGN Prospect i ve observational study . SETTING Veterans Administration ( VA ) inpatient and subacute rehabilitation units . PARTICIPANTS Forty-six VA rehabilitation teams , including 530 rehabilitation team members from 6 disciplines ( medicine , nursing , social work , physical therapy , occupational therapy , speech language pathology ) and 1688 stroke patients treated by the teams . INTERVENTIONS Not applicable . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Ten scales assessing team member perceptions of team functioning ( communication , perceived effectiveness , physician involvement , physician support , teamness , utility of quality information , innovation , interprofessional relationships , order and organization , task orientation ) and 3 primary patient outcome variables-functional improvement , discharge home , and length of rehabilitation stay ( LOS ) . RESULTS Three of the 10 measures of team functioning were significantly associated with patient functional improvement ( P < .05 ) : task orientation , order and organization , and utility of quality information . One measure of team functioning-effectiveness-was significantly associated with LOS ( P < .05 ) . None of the team variables predicted discharge destination . Aspects of team functioning that were important to outcomes differed depending on the outcome of interests . Efforts directed toward improving team activities and relationships , including collaborative planning and problem solving and the use of feedback information , may enhance rehabilitation treatment effectiveness . CONCLUSIONS Characteristics of team functioning predict selected rehabilitation outcomes
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 .