Complications after cerebral stroke as a medical, nursing and social problem - the role of a nurse in preventing complications

Abstract Stroke is a serious problem of modern medicine. It leads to death, permanent disability or lack of independence. Prevention and early detection and treatment of complications are the most important element of treatment. A key role in this time plays a nurse caring for the patient. She is responsible for the diagnosis distressing symptoms in a patient in the early stages of the disease. The aim of the study was to test the level of knowledge about stroke and its consequences among nursing staff working in the Specialist District Hospital and analysis of educational expectations of patients hospitalised in neurological department of this hospital. Material and methods. The survey method and questionnaire technique were applied. The sources of data were the answers given by groups of nurses and patients from the same department of Specialist District Hospital. The statistical program SPSS v.14 was used for data analysis. We used statistical inference test of independence chi-square-based statistics χ2 and α=0,05. Results. The majority of nurses (64.52%) indicated the immobilisation of the patient and complications associated with it as the most important nursing problem in caring of patients after stroke. Other important problems were the swallowing difficulties (54,84%) and urinary incontinence. The level of nursing education, years of work experience and age did not significantly influence the nurses opinions. Conclusions. Nurses have knowledge of prevention of complications after a stroke and performed benefit does not depend on additional qualifications acquired by nurses. Patients most often await information on their disease from a nurse. Patients consider it reasonable to take educational activities for the prevention of complications after a stroke