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Acute Stroke Care (acute + stroke_care)
Selected AbstractsAcute Stroke Care at Rural Hospitals in Idaho: Challenges in Expediting Stroke CareTHE JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH, Issue 1 2006James G. Gebhardt MD ABSTRACT:,Context: Thrombolytics are currently the most effective treatment for stroke. However, the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke criteria for initiation of thrombolytic therapy, most notably the 3-hour time limit from symptom onset, have proven challenging for many rural hospitals to achieve. Purpose: To provide a snapshot of stroke care at rural hospitals in Idaho and to investigate the experiences of these hospitals in expediting stroke care. Methods: Using a standard questionnaire, a telephone survey of hospital staff at 21 rural hospitals in Idaho was performed. The survey focused on acute stroke care practices and strategies to expedite stroke care. Findings: The median number of stroke patients treated per year was 23.3. Patient delays were reported by 77.8% of hospitals, transport delays by 66.7%, in-hospital delays by 61.1%, equipment delays by 22.2%, and ancillary services delays by 61.1%. Approximately 67% of hospitals had implemented a clinical pathway for stroke and 80.0% had provided staff with stroke-specific training. No hospitals surveyed had a designated stroke team, and only 33.3% reported engaging in quality improvement efforts to expedite stroke care. Thrombolytics (tPA) were available and indicated for stroke at 55.6% of the hospitals surveyed. Conclusions: Rural hospitals in Idaho face many difficult challenges as they endeavor to meet the 3-hour deadline for thrombolytic therapy, including limited resources and experience in acute stroke care, and many different types of prehospital and in-hospital delays. [source] Acute Stroke Care: A M anual from the University of Texas-Houston Stroke Team (Cambridge Pocket Clinicians)ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 3 2009Eric C. Bruno MD No abstract is available for this article. [source] The implementation of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator in acute ischaemic stroke , a scientific position statement from the National Stroke Foundation and the Stroke Society of AustralasiaINTERNAL MEDICINE JOURNAL, Issue 5 2009Ad Hoc Committee representing the National Stroke Foundation, the Stroke Society of Australasia Abstract Intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) has been licensed in Australia for thrombolysis in selected patients with acute ischaemic stroke since 2003. The use of tPA is low but is increasing across Australia and national audits indicate efficacy and safety outcomes equivalent to international benchmarks. Implementing tPA therapy in clinical practice is, however, challenging and requires a coordinated multidisciplinary approach to acute stroke care across prehospital, emergency department and inpatient care sectors. Stroke care units are an essential ingredient underpinning safe implementation of stroke thrombolysis. Support systems such as care pathways, therapy delivery protocols, and thrombolysis-experienced multidisciplinary care teams are also important enablers. Where delivery of stroke thrombolysis is being planned, health systems need to be re-configured to provide these important elements. This consensus statement provides a review of the evidence for, and implementation of, tPA in acute ischaemic stroke with specific reference to the Australian health-care system. [source] Acute stroke and transient ischaemic attack management , time to act fastINTERNAL MEDICINE JOURNAL, Issue 5 2009D. S. Crimmins Abstract Stroke is Australia's second single greatest killer with 53 000 new events each year at a rate of 1 every 10 min. Stroke services should be organized to enable people to access proven therapies, such as stroke unit care and thrombolysis, to reduce the impact of stroke. Timely, efficient and coordinated care from ambulance services, emergency services and stroke services will maximize recovery and prevent costly complications and subsequent strokes. Efficient management of patients with transient ischaemic attack can produce significant reductions in subsequent stroke events and risk stratification using the ABCD2 tool can aid management decisions. Evidence for acute stroke care continues to evolve and it is crucial that health professionals are aware of, and implement, best practice clinical guidelines for stroke care. [source] Stroke units: many questions, some answersINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF STROKE, Issue 1 2009Blanca Fuentes Background The development of specialized stroke units has been a landmark innovation in acute stroke care. However, the high scientific evidence level for the recommendation for stroke units to provide clinical attention for acute stroke patients does not correspond to the level of stroke unit implementation. A narrative, nonsystematic review on published studies on stroke units was conducted, with special emphasis on those demonstrating their efficacy and effectiveness. We also attempt to provide some answers to several open questions regarding practical issues of stroke units. Summary of review Stroke units represent the most efficacious model for care provision compared with general ward care and stroke teams. Every stroke patient can benefit from stroke unit care. These units are efficient, cost-effective and their benefits are consistent over time. Compared with other specific stroke therapies such as aspirin or intravenous thrombolytic agents, stroke units have a higher target population and higher benefit in terms of number of deaths and/or dependencies avoided. New approaches in stroke unit management such as the implementation of noninvasive monitoring or alternative clinical pathways could improve their benefit even further. Conclusion Stroke units are cost-effective and need to be considered as a priority in health-care provision for stroke patients. [source] Understanding nursing on an acute stroke unit: perceptions of space, time and interprofessional practiceJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 9 2009Cydnee C. Seneviratne Abstract Title.,Understanding nursing on an acute stroke unit: perceptions of space, time and interprofessional practice. Aim. This paper is a report of a study conducted to uncover nurses' perceptions of the contexts of caring for acute stroke survivors. Background. Nurses coordinate and organize care and continue the rehabilitative role of physiotherapists, occupational therapists and social workers during evenings and at weekends. Healthcare professionals view the nursing role as essential, but are uncertain about its nature. Method. Ethnographic fieldwork was carried out in 2006 on a stroke unit in Canada. Interviews with nine healthcare professionals, including nurses, complemented observations of 20 healthcare professionals during patient care, team meetings and daily interactions. Analysis methods included ethnographic coding of field notes and interview transcripts. Findings. Three local domains frame how nurses understand challenges in organizing stroke care: 1) space, 2) time and 3) interprofessional practice. Structural factors force nurses to work in exceptionally close quarters. Time constraints compel them to find novel ways of providing care. Moreover, sharing of information with other members of the team enhances relationships and improves ,interprofessional collaboration'. The nurses believed that an interprofessional atmosphere is fundamental for collaborative stroke practice, despite working in a multiprofessional environment. Conclusion. Understanding how care providers conceive of and respond to space, time and interprofessionalism has the potential to improve acute stroke care. Future research focusing on nurses and other professionals as members of interprofessional teams could help inform stroke care to enhance poststroke outcomes. [source] Physiological monitoring in acute stroke: a literature reviewJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 6 2007Stephanie P. Jones Abstract Title.,Physiological monitoring in acute stroke: a literature review Aim., This paper is a report of a review of the literature that considers how physiological parameters may affect outcome after stroke and the implications of this evidence for monitoring. Background., Throughout the world, the incidence of first-ever stroke is approximately 200 per 100,000 people per year [Sudlow et al. (1997)Stroke28, 491]. Stroke is the third most common cause of mortality [Sarti et al. (2000) Stroke31, 1588] and causes 5·54 million deaths worldwide [Murray & Lopez (1997) Lancet349, 268]. Physiological monitoring is considered a fundamental component of acute stroke care. Currently, the strength of evidence to support its use and identify its components is unclear. Nurse-led physiological assessment and subsequent interventions in acute stroke may have the potential to improve survival and reduce disability. Data sources., Online bibliographic databases from 1966 to 2007, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, AMED, Cochrane and ZETOC, were searched systematically. We identified 475 published papers relating to blood pressure, oxygen saturation and positioning, blood glucose and body temperature. Review methods., Titles and abstracts were reviewed independently by two reviewers and 61 relevant studies were read in full. The quality of included studies was assessed and proformas were used to record detailed data. A narrative synthesis described how the evidence from the papers could inform our understanding of physiological parameters and their association with outcome. Results., Current evidence suggests that patient outcome is worse when physiological parameters deviate from ,normal' in the acute phase of stroke. Conclusions., The evidence supports the need for monitoring and recording of blood pressure, oxygen saturation (including consideration of positioning), blood glucose and body temperature in the acute phase of stroke. This review has reinforced the importance of monitoring physiological parameters in the acute phase of stroke and adds support to the recommendation that monitoring should play a key role within nursing care. [source] Availability of Diagnostic and Treatment Services for Acute Stroke in Frontier Counties in Montana and Northern WyomingTHE JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH, Issue 3 2006Nicholas J. Okon DO ABSTRACT:,Context: Rapid diagnosis and treatment of ischemic stroke can lead to improved patient outcomes. Hospitals in rural and frontier counties, however, face unique challenges in providing diagnostic and treatment services for acute stroke. Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the availability of key diagnostic technology and programs for acute stroke evaluation and treatment in Montana and northern Wyoming. Methods: In 2004, hospital medical directors or their designees were mailed a survey about the availability of diagnostic technology, programs, and personnel for acute stroke care. Findings: Fifty-eight of 67 (87%) hospitals responded to the survey. Seventy-nine percent (46/58) of responding hospitals were located in frontier counties, with an average bed size of 18 (11 SD). Of the hospitals in frontier counties, 44% reported emergency medical services prehospital stroke identification programs, 39% had 24-hour computed tomography capability, 44% had an emergency department stroke protocol, and 61% had a recombinant tissue plasminogen activator protocol. Thirty percent of hospitals in frontier counties reported that they met 6-10 of the criteria established by the Brain Attack Coalition to improve acute stroke care compared to 67% of hospitals in the nonfrontier counties. Conclusion: A stroke network model could enhance care and improve outcomes for stroke victims in frontier counties. [source] Acute Stroke Care at Rural Hospitals in Idaho: Challenges in Expediting Stroke CareTHE JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH, Issue 1 2006James G. Gebhardt MD ABSTRACT:,Context: Thrombolytics are currently the most effective treatment for stroke. However, the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke criteria for initiation of thrombolytic therapy, most notably the 3-hour time limit from symptom onset, have proven challenging for many rural hospitals to achieve. Purpose: To provide a snapshot of stroke care at rural hospitals in Idaho and to investigate the experiences of these hospitals in expediting stroke care. Methods: Using a standard questionnaire, a telephone survey of hospital staff at 21 rural hospitals in Idaho was performed. The survey focused on acute stroke care practices and strategies to expedite stroke care. Findings: The median number of stroke patients treated per year was 23.3. Patient delays were reported by 77.8% of hospitals, transport delays by 66.7%, in-hospital delays by 61.1%, equipment delays by 22.2%, and ancillary services delays by 61.1%. Approximately 67% of hospitals had implemented a clinical pathway for stroke and 80.0% had provided staff with stroke-specific training. No hospitals surveyed had a designated stroke team, and only 33.3% reported engaging in quality improvement efforts to expedite stroke care. Thrombolytics (tPA) were available and indicated for stroke at 55.6% of the hospitals surveyed. Conclusions: Rural hospitals in Idaho face many difficult challenges as they endeavor to meet the 3-hour deadline for thrombolytic therapy, including limited resources and experience in acute stroke care, and many different types of prehospital and in-hospital delays. [source] Thrombolytic treatment for stroke in the Scandinavian countriesACTA NEUROLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 4 2009K. Bruins Slot Objective,,, We wanted to describe the use of thrombolytic treatment for stroke in Scandinavia, to assess stroke doctors' opinions on this treatment, to identify barriers against treatment, and to suggest improvements to overcome these barriers. Methods,,, We sent questionnaires to 493 Scandinavian doctors, who were involved in acute stroke care. Results,,, We received 453 (92%) completed questionnaires. Overall, 1.9% (range per hospital 0,13.9%) of patients received thrombolytic treatment. A majority (94%) of the respondents was convinced of the beneficial effects of thrombolytic treatment and many (85%) felt that its risks were acceptable. Main barriers were: unawareness of stroke symptoms among patients (82%) and their failure to respond adequately (54%); ambulance services not triaging acute stroke as urgent (23%); and insufficient in-hospital routines (15%). The respondents suggested that the following measures should be prioritized to increase the treatment's use: educational programmes to improve public awareness on stroke and how to respond (96%); education of in-hospital (88%) and prehospital (76%) medical staff. Conclusions,,, A large majority of Scandinavian doctors regard thrombolytic treatment for stroke as beneficial, yet its implementation in clinical practice has so far been poor. Our survey identified important barriers and potential measures that could increase its future use. [source] | ||||||||||