Oral Presentation Smart Strokes Annual Scientific Meeting 2025

Empowering Patient and Carer Voices to Reimagine Inpatient Stroke Education Through CARES (Consumer-informed Approach to Risk reduction Education for Stroke inpatients) Quality Improvement Project. (127110)

Sally Ormond 1 , Emily Sanderson 2 , Olivia Lamaro 2 , Dakota Steris 2 , Jodi Rheinberger 2 , Colette Sanctuary 3 , Jaclyn Birnie 4 , Di Marsden 1
  1. Hunter Stroke Service, Hunter New England Local Health District, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
  2. G2 John Hunter Hospital, Hunter New England Local Health District, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
  3. Belmont Hospital, Hunter New England Local Health District, Belmont, NSW, Australia
  4. Armidale Hospital, Hunter New England Local Health District, Armidale, NSW, Australia

Introduction: Education for stroke inpatients is a critical component of care, however locally only 43%[1] and 63%[2] received education. We aimed to understand the experience of stroke survivors and carers regarding inpatient education.

Methods: Survey conducted with stroke/TIA survivors 3 months post-discharge from one metropolitan and one regional NSW hospital undertaking the CARES project, and their carers. Survivors and carers were invited to participate by telephone (16/01/2025-09/04/2025) and surveys completed via their preferred method: telephone, SMS/ emailed link to web-based survey, or post. Multiple-choice questions included demographics, education received (content, delivery, usefulness), what information they would have liked to receive, and preferred delivery methods.

Results: Of 169 stroke survivors contacted, 72(43%) participated (female=38%, metropolitan=78%, aged>65 years=69%). Twenty-eight carers participated (female=75%, metropolitan=86%, aged>65 years=61%).

Inpatient education was received by 85%(61/72) of survivors, and 71%(20/28) of carers. Most-common reported methods were discussions with staff (survivors=80%, carers=76%) and “My Stroke Journey” (survivors=52%, carers=43%). Most-useful topics were stroke type (survivors=74%, carers=62%), risk factors (survivors=74%, carers=48%) and secondary prevention medications (survivors=68%, carers=50%). However, many reported information was not received (e.g. survivors: mood=46%, fatigue=41%; carers: mood=65%, returning to work=58%).

Highest-rated topics survivors would have liked more information on were fatigue(40%), blood pressure(36%), investigations/tests post-discharge(35%), driving(33%), and cognition(32%). Carers would have liked more information on investigations/tests post-discharge(50%), driving(46%), follow-up appointments(46%), mood(43%), fatigue(43%), and cognition(43%).

Most-preferred methods to receive education were discussions with staff (survivors=65%, carers=86%), written information (survivors=51%, carers=71%), and short videos (survivors=29%, carers=29%).

Conclusion: Most participants received education; however it was variable regarding topics covered, usefulness of information, and delivery method. Many participants indicated there were topics they would have liked to receive more information, with access to educational materials beyond traditional face-to-face and paper-based formats.

Relevance: Findings will inform the development of a flexible, multi-modal education strategy with content tailored to patient and carer preferences.

  1. Stroke Foundation. National Stroke Audit- Acute Services 2023- John Hunter Hospital Report New South Wales. Melbourne: Stroke Foundation; 2023.
  2. Stroke Foundation. National Stroke Audit- Acute Services 2021- Armidale Hospital Report New South Wales. Melbourne: Stroke Foundation; 2021.