Gains from Rehabilitation Nursing Care for the Self-Care of Elderly Inpatients – Scoping Review

Abstract

Introduction: Hospitalization of elderly people is a period that has consequences at the functional level, due to inactivity, with a negative impact on functionality and quality of life. Rehabilitation nursing care is fundamental in optimising functionality, by valuing self-care during hospitalization. Objective: To identify the interventions carried out by specialist rehabilitation nurses that benefit the functionality of elderly patients during hospitalization. Methodology: The scoping review was conducted in the CINAHL and MEDLINE databases in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta- analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, including all studies published between January 2019 and January 2023. The search strategy used controlled vocabulary terms (DeCS/MeSH), with inclusion criteria based on the PCC structure. To assess methodological quality, the JBI critical appraisal tools were used, covering dif- ferent study designs. Results: Eight studies were included, with qualitative (n = 2), cohort (n = 5) and observational (n = 1) methodological designs. They included hospitalized participants who received specialised rehabilitation nursing care and had a positive effect on the results: optimising users’ autonomy; con- fidence; and/or functional capacity. Strategies that maximise functional capacity are categorised as: Rehabilitation interventions (subcategories support-education and assist-train); benefits of rehabilitation care (subcategories functionality and disease management). Conclusion: Rehabilitation Nursing interventions based on assistance, education, and training promote the optimisation of functional capac- ity, reduce the negative impact of hospitalization, and improve the quality of life for the elferly. The care provided by the specialist rehabilitation nurse is essen- tial during the hospitalization period of elderly patients due to its benefits for functionality and the promotion o f self-care.