Nurse's Roles in Promoting Health Literacy and Self-Management in Patients After a Transient Ischemic Attack
Abstract
A Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) represents a neurological emergency and serves as a critical harbinger of a future ischemic stroke. However, the transient nature of its symptoms, which resolve spontaneously, often leads patients and their families to underestimate the condition's severity. This results in poor adherence to secondary prevention strategies, which in turn significantly increase the risk of a subsequent major and disabling stroke.
Health literacy, therefore, emerges as a cornerstone for empowering patients for effective self-management. This review analyzes the pivotal role of professional nurses in fostering health literacy among TIA patients. This role encompasses activities ranging from health literacy assessment and tailored education to promoting self-management skills and cultivating a supportive environment.
As healthcare professionals with the most intimate patient contact, nurses are uniquely positioned to reframe the patient's perception of TIA from a benign event into a critical window of opportunity for stroke prevention. Through targeted communication, education, and counseling, they play a proactive role in ultimately reducing the long-term incidence of and burden of stroke.
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