The conventional care of therapists as acute stroke specialists: A case study

There has been an increase in the number of stroke units in Australia owing to evidence proving their clinical effectiveness. This study aimed to explore the conventional care provided by an occupational therapist and physiotherapist employed in the acute stroke unit of an Australian hospital and then compare the findings to national stroke guidelines. Mixed methodologies were used in a case study format. Results showed that conventional care was based primarily on an efficient initial investigative process which occurred in a work place under pressure. Other findings highlighted patient-centered care and hypothesis-driven clinical reasoning. The study revealed that, in general, the conventional care provided by the two therapists met the national stroke guidelines. This case study has explored the use of combined methodologies for studying complex packages of care and has also provided a basis on which to propose a model of practice.