Griffiths 1995.

Methods	Study design: RCT using 'Zellen's design' with double consent Unit of allocation: Patient Unit of analysis: Patient Power calculation: Not done Concealment*: Not done. Randomisation from open list prior to patient consent Follow‐up*: 84% of randomised patients consented. 100% of consented patients followed up. Blinded assessment*: Done for length of stay and discharge destination. Not done for functional status. Baseline*: Baseline differences in functional status and abnormal assessment findings in favour of intervention group. Statistical analysis (ANCOVA) attempted to correct for pre‐test differences. Reliable outcomes*: Done for length of stay and discharge destination. Not done for functional status Contamination*. Unlikely ‐ control patients not exposed to NL Intention to treat analysis*: Analysis done on intention to treat basis
Participants	Post‐acute patients referred from acute medical wards of tertiary teaching hospital and assessed as being medically stable and having a remediable nursing need. 75% female, mean age 77 years mean acute stay 23 days. Stroke, cardiac problems and functional deficits most common cause for initial admission. Treatment 71 Control 48 (84% of assigned patients consented. Full follow up of consenting patients)
Interventions	Unit / setting: 13 bedded unit in split site tertiary / general acute care hospital (UK). Care management: Nurses assessed suitability for admission and primary nurses on unit planned care. Unit manager chaired interdisciplinary meeting Nursing Team: 1 primary nurse + 7 other Registered nurses and 2 auxiliary nurses (nursing aides). Overall nurse patient ratio (from roster) 0.82 nurses per patient per day 79% qualified (Registered / Licensed nurses) MD team: Physiotherapy, Occupational therapy and social work and medical officer (general practitioner or equivalent) + others including medicine on referral. Team meetings led by unit manager / primary nurse. Education / preparation for staff: Team building and a series of away days prior to implementation. Training in physical assessment for senior staff (primary nurses + those assessing pt suitability). The service developed at the end of a long process of practice development and was developed through a bottom up mechanism. Other: Interventions designed to promote more patient centred and informal environment such as staff wearing own clothes, patient representative on unit management / steering group. Control: general medical (including elderly care) wards with equivalent nursing staff and routine medically managed care.
Outcomes	Length of stay Health status psychological well‐being physical / functional dependence place of discharge mortality readmission complications
Notes	Quality score 3/7
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Allocation concealment?	Unclear risk	D ‐ Not used