LAUSR

Background: For stroke patients, the in-hospital care is focused on the initial stroke treatment, secondary prevention, functional assessment, and discharge planning. Despite focused education by nursing and thorough discharge planning, patients often express frustration and concerns regarding their hospital stay, and patient satisfaction scores remain low at 75%. Methods: A pilot program was implemented in the acute care setting in which a stroke survivor, himself a former hospital patient, visited stroke patients and their families during admission. He provided services twice a week on the inpatient units, which included answering questions regarding his own experience surviving a stroke and keeping a log of concerns patients and families expressed during the sessions. These concerns were immediately relayed to the nursing staff caring for the patients, and also reviewed and categorized by the stroke coordinator and program manager. Results: Since September 2018, the stroke survivor has visited 96 patients. The majority of patients expressed concerns about their functional recovery. Additional concerns included return to normal life following their stroke, how to obtain state and federal benefits, and how to prepare foods for modified diets. These concerns had not been elicited by the clinical care team. Prior to the program’s initiation, overall stroke patient satisfaction scores averaged 75% annually with high variability. These scores increased to 89.4% with low variability and have persisted for 8 months. Similarly, nursing communication scores averaged 75% and increased to 90% after implementation. Conclusions: A stroke survivor pilot program is feasible and effective for improving patient satisfaction, both overall and related to nursing communication. Patients and family members may find it easier to speak with a person who shares similar experiences, such as a stroke survivor. These additional insights to patients’ concerns allow the care team to optimize patient care and improve patient satisfaction. Future expansion of the program may include a broader role for the stroke survivor, leveraging the effective communication provided by this unique role.