Developing kinaesthetic competence and team dynamics: A quality improvement project in a stroke unit

Background: Movement training for stroke patients is a crucial component of their treatment. Lack of time and staff are often described as limiting factors for the development of kinaesthetic competence. In contrast, a positive team atmosphere and awareness of kinaesthetics are seen to be beneficial. Aim: The goal of this quality improvement project was to promote the kinaesthetic competence of a stroke unit (SU) nursing team and to investigate its influence on team dynamics. Methods: As a team intervention for the project, a basic course in kinaesthetics in nursing, augmented by practical instructions, was conducted exclusively for the SU nursing team. The Kinaesthetics Competence Observation (KCO) instrument was used to determine competence development. The participants rated team dynamics on a scale of 0-10 points. ResultsIn all, 88% of the nursing team took part in the quality improvement project and successfully completed the basic course. The kinaesthetic competence improved by 4.2 KCO points and the team dynamics also increased by around 2 points. DiscussionA basic kinaesthetics course with practical instructions improves kinaesthetic competence. Continuous instruction, long-term process implementation and support from nursing managers are required to establish kinaesthetic competence in the long term. Conclusion: The results show that a kinaesthetic training project carried out in this way has a positive influence not only on kinaesthetic competence but also on the dynamics of a care team.