Nurse-led health coaching programme to improve hospital-to-home transitional care for stroke survivors: A randomised controlled trial.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of a nurse-led health coaching programme for stroke survivors and family caregivers in hospital-to-home transition care.

Methods: A total of 140 dyads of stroke survivors and their family caregivers were recruited and randomly assigned to either the intervention group (received a 12-week nurse-led health coaching programme) or the usual care group. The primary outcome was self-efficacy, and secondary outcomes were quality of life (QoL), stroke-related knowledge, and caregiver-related burden. The outcomes were measured at baseline, 12 and 24 weeks.

Results: Stroke survivors in the intervention group demonstrated a significant improvement in self-efficacy at 12 weeks (x̅: 24.9, 95%CI: 20.2-29.6, p < 0.001) and at 24 weeks (x̅: 23.9, 95%CI: 19.2-28.6, p < 0.001) compared to the usual care group. Findings also demonstrated significant increases in stroke survivors' QoL, stroke-related knowledge, and reduction in unplanned hospital readmissions and caregiver-related burden. There were no statistically significant changes in other outcomes between the two groups.

Conclusion: The nurse-led health coaching programme improved health outcomes for both stroke survivors and their caregivers.

Practice Impaction: Findings from the study suggest that nurse-led health coaching should be incorporated into routine practice in hospital-to-home transitional care for stroke survivors and their caregivers.