‘Beyond the surface’: a qualitative study exploring the experiences of stroke survivors and their families in sharing their values, preferences, and circumstances in inpatient rehabilitation

Patient values, preferences, and circumstances are key components of patient-centred care and evidence-based practice; however, little is known about how health professionals engage patients and families to elicit this information. This study aimed to explore stroke survivors’ and their families’ experiences of the elicitation and integration of their values, preferences, and circumstances during inpatient rehabilitation. This qualitative descriptive study used interviews with stroke survivors (n = 10) and family members (n = 2), who recently participated in inpatient rehabilitation. Graphic elicitation was used to facilitate discussion, and data were analysed using a general inductive approach. Participants felt that health professionals’ understanding of them as a person beneath the patient shaped their stroke rehabilitation experience. Processes used to get to know patients and what is important to them were influenced by relationships, communication, and organisational and clinician priorities. Participants desired to be seen and valued as individuals, as they navigated the unknown post-stroke journey. Understanding and integrating values, preferences, and circumstances in stroke rehabilitation is a dynamic and multifaceted process. Findings offer insight into rehabilitation practices from the perspectives of service users, which can inform clinical education and organisational processes to improve rehabilitation experience, patient-centred care, and ultimately patient outcomes. Clinician elicitation and integration of patient values, preferences, and circumstances are integral to individualised and patient-centred stroke rehabilitation, yet literature on how these are elicited is scarce.Effective communication, establishing connections, and building relationships are fundamental to getting to know patients and what matters to them.Prioritising quality engagement between clinicians and patients as a key stroke rehabilitation metric promotes the value of patient experience.Rehabilitation models should integrate family members as active participants, recognising their role as key supporters and advocates. Clinician elicitation and integration of patient values, preferences, and circumstances are integral to individualised and patient-centred stroke rehabilitation, yet literature on how these are elicited is scarce. Effective communication, establishing connections, and building relationships are fundamental to getting to know patients and what matters to them. Prioritising quality engagement between clinicians and patients as a key stroke rehabilitation metric promotes the value of patient experience. Rehabilitation models should integrate family members as active participants, recognising their role as key supporters and advocates.