• Pia Dreyer, Sanne Angel, Leanne Langhorn, Birgitte Blicher Pedersen, and Lena Aadal.
• Questions or comments about this article may be directed to Pia Dreyer, RN MScN PhD, at piadreye@rm.dk. She is a Clinical Nurse Specialist, Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Aarhus University Hospital, and an Associate Professor, Department of Public Health, Section of Nursing Science, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark. Sanne Angel, PhD RN, Department of Public Health, Section of Nursing Science, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark. Leanne Langhorn, RN CCRN MScN PhD, is Clinical Nurse Specialist, Department of Neurosurgery and Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark. Birgitte Blicher Pedersen, RN MSPH, is Clinical Nurse Specialist, Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, and is PhD Student, Department of Public Health, Section of Nursing Science, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark. Lena Aadal, RN MScN PhD, is Head of Clinical Nursing Research, Hammel Neurorehabilitation and Research Centre, Hammel, Denmark.
• J Neurosci Nurs. 2016 Apr 1; 48 (2): 108-15.

BackgroundThe description of nursing roles and functions in rehabilitation of patients with stroke remains sparse.AimThe aim of this study was to describe the experienced roles and functions of nurses during in-hospital rehabilitation of patients with stroke.MethodsWithin a phenomenological hermeneutic approach, 19 nurses working with in-hospital rehabilitation of patients with stroke participated in three focus group interviews during 2013.FindingsThe nurses' experiences were described in two themes: (a) the nurse's role and function in relation to the patient's needs 24/7 and (b) the nurse's role and function in the interdisciplinary team. Getting to know the patient as a person was essential to the nurses to care for the patient's basic needs; these must come first working with rehabilitation and always include the relatives. Recognition of the team members' individual skills with focus on the patient's needs must be the center of attention.ConclusionAn interdisciplinary rehabilitation program actively needs to include the patient by integrating the patient's perspective in the goals as well as in daily rehabilitation. In the team, nurses had the role of coordinator and the patient's voice.

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