Effects of the liaison nurse management on the infectious stroke complications: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background Two of the most serious complications after stroke are pneumonia, and urinary tract infection. Liaison nurse, from hospital admission to discharge and then at home helps patients with complicated caring issues stroke. This study investigates the effect of liaison nurse management on the incidence of pneumonia and urinary tract infection in patients with stroke after discharge from the hospital. Methods This randomized controlled trial was conducted on 80 patients in a hospital in Iran. The intervention group was assessed and developed a caring program by the liaison nurse and the control group received routine care. Two weeks and two months after discharge, the patients were evaluated for the incidence of pneumonia and urinary tract infection. Collected data were analyzed using the Chi-square test. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results The two groups were homogenous in terms of mean age; gender frequently distribution and having urinary catheter. The incidence of pneumonia in intervention and control groups (11.6% vs. 19.2%, P = 0.35) had no statistically significant differences, but there was a significant difference in the incidence of urinary tract infection (0% vs. 24.6%, P < 0.001). Conclusions With liaison nurse performance, there was a significant difference in the incidence of urinary tract infection, in two months after discharge from hospital, but the incidence of pneumonia had no statistically significant differences in two groups. Nurse’s evaluation each patient individually according to needs, developing and monitoring the home-based care program, beyond overall education to these patients, could reduce some of complications of a stroke. Trial registration This study is retrospectively registered by Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials with decree code: IRCT20170605034330N3 on April 4, 2018.

Habilidades de la enfermera de enlace para gestionar el alta del paciente

“…Las demandas de atención de los sistemas de salud a nivel mundial han presentado un incremento de pacientes con enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles (1), lo que conlleva a que estos pacientes tengan necesidades complejas de atención para la salud, requiriendo hospitalizaciones continuas y prolongadas (2). De tal manera que se han implementado estrategias que permitan asegurar la continuidad de los cuidados al alta hospitalaria de esos pacientes, utilizando los recursos disponibles y teniendo en el capital humano de las instituciones de salud una oportunidad para este propósito, logrando la reducción del tiempo de estancia hospitalaria, el decremento de complicaciones post alta y de reingresos hospitalarios por causas prevenibles (3,4). De ahí que, se entienda como continuidad de los cuidados a la atención coherente, conectada y consistente de las necesidades de los pacientes y sus cuidadores, orientada a la transición entre los niveles asistenciales de salud (5,6).…”