Table 3.

Study themes which answer research question three: “What factors have been identified to impact the nurses’ working conditions on stroke rehabilitation units?”.

Primary Author, Year Method Sample Quality Rating	Findings
	Barriers and Challenges	Nurses’ Perceptions
Aadal et al. (2018) Denmark Hermeneutic phenomenology N=19 Nurses Good	• No time set aside to care for relatives • Preparing relatives to cope with unknown situation. • Non-cooperating relatives • Persistent cognitive, emotional, and behavioral changes in patients • Lack of specialty knowledge on stroke rehabilitation • Lack of organizational framework to support interventions	• Belief that nurses have a dual role in stroke rehabilitation
Barreca & Wilkins (2008) Canada Hermeneutic phenomenology N=8 RNs, RPNs Good	• Limited resources • Lack of time • Supervision of everyday practice may cause missed opportunities to care • Feeling that others devalue their role • The struggle with personal inclinations to do everything for the patient • Shortage of staff • Increased workload • Lack of recognition of nurse’s role in rehabilitation	• Belief that nurses play a pivotal role in rehabilitation • Feeling that their role in stroke rehabilitation is devalued by others • The joy of working in stroke rehabilitation units • Belief that there is lack of recognition of nurse’s role in the rehabilitation process
Burton (2000) United Kingdom Reflective inquiry N=13 RN, EN Good		• Personal beliefs about the purpose of rehabilitation
Clarke & Holts (2015) United Kingdom Mixed method: Q-methodological approach N=63 RNs Good	• Lack of specific training to integrate rehab principles with care
Dreyer et al. (2016) Denmark Hermeneutic phenomenology N=19 Nurses Good	• Lack of time	• Belief that nurses are vital members of the interprofessional team
Hill & Johnson (1999) United Kingdom Qualitative descriptive N=9 RNs Fair	• Shortage of staff • Reliance on temporary staff • High turnover of physiotherapists and occupational therapists	• Role as informal patient counselor not fully acknowledged • Nurses have a role as liaison to other team members • Nurses have a role as central communicator, reporting information to the multidisciplinary team about their patient’s progress. • Nurses have to possess a variety of the therapists’ skills to perform their role well
Loft et al. (2017) Qualitative descriptive Denmark N=14 RNs Good	• Lack of specific training related to stroke rehabilitation • Lack of time to assist patients to perform tasks • Complexity of tasks or patient’s condition • Lack of time • Competing priorities • Work overload	• Nurses believe and present themselves as manager in rehabilitation units

Note: EN=Enrolled Nurses; RN=Registered Nurses; RPN=Registered Practical Nurses.