Identity rupture and reconstruction in post-stroke PTSD: a patient journey map.

OBJECTIVE

To identify the core psychological rehabilitation needs of post-stroke Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder patients based on a patient-family-nurse triad-verified journey map, and to provide references for developing precise nursing intervention strategies.

METHODS

A descriptive qualitative research method was adopted. From July 2025 to November 2025, a convenience sample of 19 participants, including post-stroke PTSD patients, primary caregivers, and healthcare professionals from a tertiary general hospital in Binzhou City, were recruited for semi-structured interviews. Content analysis was used to organize the data, and a psychological rehabilitation journey map was constructed with triangulation verification.

RESULTS

A total of 24 sub-themes were summarized in terms of tasks, emotions, and pain points, forming a symptom-experience journey map covering four phases: traumatic impact, support Imbalance, resilience activation, and life stabilization.

CONCLUSION

This triad-verified journey map visually reveals the phase-specific process of identity reconstruction in post-stroke PTSD and provides a practical framework for developing phased, person-centered interventions.