Community stroke rehabilitation nursing and its relevance in Brunei: A literature review

Abstract

Stroke is the second common cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The WHO estimated 15 million people suffer a stroke annually and of these 5 million die and another 5 million are left permanently disabled. In Brunei, stroke is the fourth leading causes of death amongst Bruneian after cancer, heart disease and diabetes for the past decade. The establishment of the Brunei Neuroscience Stroke and Rehabilitation Centre (BNSRC) has improved stroke survival rate, but the residual impacts may remain devastating. Evidence suggested community-based stroke rehabilitation can reduce stroke-related disabilities. Thus, recognising nurses’ role in community stroke rehabilitation may complement the allied health professionals’ rehabilitation services and provide continuity in post-stroke care support. However, little is known about rehabilitation role of nurses in Brunei. Hence, the review aims to explore nurses’ roles in community stroke rehabilitation identified from previous research and examine the relevance of them in Brunei context. The review suggested that Brunei nurses may have attributes to embrace this advanced role. Further study in this area is needed to provide evidence regarding potential merit of community stroke rehabilitation nursing services in Brunei Darussalam.