Nurse-led care versus neurologist-led care for long-term outcomes of patients who underwent craniotomy in traumatic brain injuries: an efficacy analysis.

Background: After craniotomy, patients require rehabilitation efforts for the recovery process, and neurologists are mostly engaged for that (in the management of post-craniotomy complications). However, neurologists are not always available for care after neurosurgery during follow-up (situation of our institute). The objectives of the study were to compare the effects of two different types of care (nurse-led and neurologist-led) on various long-term outcomes in patients who have undergone craniotomy due to traumatic brain injuries.

Methods: Electronic medical records of patients (aged ≥18 years) who underwent craniotomy for traumatic brain injuries and their caregivers were extracted and retrospectively reviewed. Patients received nurse-led care (NL cohort,  = 109) or neurologist-led care (GL cohort,  = 121) for 6 months after craniotomy.

Results: Before the nurse-or neurologist-led care (BC), all patients had activities of daily living (ADL) ≤ 11, ≤ 50 quality of life (QoL), and 69% of patients had definitive anxiety, 87% of patients had definitive depression, and all caregivers had Zarit Burden interview scores ≥50. Nurse-led post-surgical care was associated with improved ADL and QoL, relieved anxiety and depression of patients, relieved the burden on caregivers, and the higher overall satisfaction of patients and their caregivers after 6-months of care (AC) as compared to their BC condition ( < 0.05) and also compared to those of patients in the GL cohort under AC condition ( < 0.01). Patients in the GL cohort reported pressure sores ( = 0.0211) and dizziness [15 (12%) vs. 5 (5%)] after craniotomy during follow-up than those in the NL cohort.

Conclusion: ADL, QoL, and psychological conditions of patients who undergo craniotomy for traumatic brain injuries must be improved and the burdens of their caregivers must be relived. Not only is the care provided by nursing staff equivalent to that offered by neurologists, but in some aspects, it is superior for patients who have undergone craniotomy for traumatic brain injuries and their caregivers during follow-up.