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Inpatient Rehabilitation Experiences and Preparedness for Discharge: Perspectives of People with Spinal Cord Injuries, Care Partners, and Rehabilitation Clinicians
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Inpatient Rehabilitation Experiences and Preparedness for Discharge: Perspectives of People with Spinal Cord Injuries, Care Partners, and Rehabilitation Clinicians

Allen W. Heinemann, Lorie J. Cashdollar, Deborah S. Crown, Myrissa Le, Bishan Yang, Heerak Choi, Roberto Lopez-Rosado, Alexandra Wolfe and Linda S. Ehrlich-Jones
Rehabilitation psychology
05/11/2026
DOI: 10.1037/rep0000677
PMID: 42113136

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Abstract

Purpose/Objective: Describe and compare the perspectives of people with spinal cord injuries (SCIs), care partners, and rehabilitation clinicians regarding rehabilitation experiences, preparation for discharge, and community integration. Research Method/Design: We recruited people with SCI, care partners, and rehabilitation clinicians through SCI Model Systems contacts and other sources. We sought variations in injury, demographic characteristics, and rehabilitation settings. Separate focus groups for each stakeholder group lasted 90 min, guided by a semi-structured questionnaire. Transcript coding involved deductive and inductive analyses. Results: Nine people with SCI, 11 care partners, and eight rehabilitation clinicians participated. Themes discussed by people with SCI related to inpatient rehabilitation experiences, home and community reintegration, balancing loss and acceptance, accessibility barriers, strength of relationships, and transitions to community living. Topics unique to care partners were the nature of their involvement during inpatient rehabilitation, services that they found helpful or not, and the extent to which they felt prepared for discharge. Clinicians discussed planning inpatient rehabilitation, managing inpatient length of stay (LOS), and preparing patients for discharge. Conclusion/Implications: Most people with SCI and care partners thought LOS were too short, leaving them insufficiently prepared for community living, and emphasized the need for additional training and resources to prepare for community transition. Clinicians highlighted the importance of determining LOS based on patients' needs and insurance requirements. Regardless of how prepared participants felt at discharge, they all encountered challenges that they did not anticipate. Findings provide insights into the organization of rehabilitation services and highlight opportunities to enhance rehabilitation services and policy.
 Psychology Social Sciences Life Sciences & Biomedicine Psychology, Clinical Rehabilitation Science & Technology

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