Stroke Nursing Care in the Emergency Department

Course overview

Stroke is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Each year about 795,000 people experience a new or recurrent stroke. While the actual number of deaths attributed to stroke has declined, it is still the fourth leading cause of death. Stroke is the leading cause of serious long-term disability in the U.S., with over one million survivors reporting a disability. In 2010 there were 671,000 ED visits with the diagnosis of stroke, which puts the ED nurse on the front line in the recognition, treatment and outcome of a stroke patient. In this activity, we will identify the signs, symptoms and risk factors of patients presenting with a stroke or transient Ischemic Attack (TIA); describe the elements of the effective stroke systems of care in the hyperacute phase of stroke; document and communicate a detailed history and physical, detailed neurological assessment that includes a stroke scale, and observe significant changes to improve patient safety and quality of care; discuss evidence-based treatment options for ischemic stroke; and identify patient-specific characteristics for prevention of secondary complications and recurrent stroke. After completing this activity, nurses should be able to: interpret the signs, symptoms and risk factors of patients presenting with a stroke or transient Ischemic Attack (TIA); perform and communicate a detailed history and physical, a detailed neurological assessment that includes a stroke scale, and observe significant changes to improve patient safety and quality of care; and select evidence-based treatment options for ischemic stroke.