​The Healthcare Worker’s Journey of Care And Recovery: A Qualitative Study on The Lived Experience of Supporting Stroke Patients in Singapore’s Rehabilitation Unit

The challenge

Stroke is a sudden-onset condition that is often a life-changing event with long-term consequences.

Healthcare workers (HCWs), including nurses, physicians, social workers, physiotherapists and occupational therapists, work closely with stroke survivors to improve independence in daily activities and quality of life.

However, there is limited number of studies that focus on the underlying psycho-socio-practical issues that arise for these HCWs from caring for this group of patients.

The proposed solution

Employing a phenomenological qualitative research design with an interpretive-systemic framework, the main aim of this project is to identify these issues from the perspectives of HCWs and pave the way for guidelines, protocols and programmes that can enhance the wellness and professional competency of HCWs.

Our expected findings will serve to inform and advance policies and practices of stroke care in hospital, rehabilitation and community settings, which can potentially lead to the development of better training and supportive programmes to empower HCWs. This is needed as their care experiences are often complex, insightful, yet rarely explored in research.

With a holistic understanding of service provision and care experiences, we hope to develop better support for HCWs, which will in turn translate to better care for stroke patients.