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Journal ArticleDOI

Triage assessments and the activation of rapid care protocols for acute stroke patients

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined triage assessments of acute stroke patients and investigated factors associated with the instigation of rapid care protocols (allocation of triage category 1 or 2) for acute stroke patient presenting within 2h of symptom onset.
About: This article is published in Australasian Emergency Nursing Journal.The article was published on 2013-02-01 and is currently open access. It has received 21 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Triage & Stroke.
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The aim was to systematically identify and review the evidence pertaining to the test accuracy of validated stroke recognition scales, as used in a prehospital or emergency room (ER) setting to screen people suspected of having stroke.
Abstract: This is the protocol for a review and there is no abstract. The objectives are as follows: Among the currently validated prehospital stroke scales, what is the diagnostic accuracy of the index tests for the diagnosis of stroke in prehospital screening of patients suspected of having a stroke? To assess the influence of the following potential sources of heterogeneity. Patient demographics (e.g. age, gender). Type of event (transient ischemic attack (TIA), ischemic or hemorrhagic). The definition of TIA used by the study. Level of training of paramedic staff. Items from the methodological quality checklist.

72 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The TDF was successfully applied in all steps of developing an implementation intervention for the T3 Trial clinical intervention and the use of researcher panel opinion was an essential part of the BCT selection process to incorporate both research evidence and expert judgment.
Abstract: Theoretical frameworks and models based on behaviour change theories are increasingly used in the development of implementation interventions. Development of an implementation intervention is often based on the available evidence base and practical issues, i.e. feasibility and acceptability. The aim of this study was to describe the development of an implementation intervention for the T3 Trial (Triage, Treatment and Transfer of patients with stroke in emergency departments (EDs)) using theory to recommend behaviour change techniques (BCTs) and drawing on the research evidence base and practical issues of feasibility and acceptability. A stepped method for developing complex interventions based on theory, evidence and practical issues was adapted using the following steps: (1) Who needs to do what, differently? (2) Using a theoretical framework, which barriers and enablers need to be addressed? (3) Which intervention components (behaviour change techniques and mode(s) of delivery) could overcome the modifiable barriers and enhance the enablers? A researcher panel was convened to review the list of BCTs recommended for use and to identify the most feasible and acceptable techniques to adopt. Seventy-six barriers were reported by hospital staff who attended the workshops (step 1: thirteen TDF domains likely to influence the implementation of the T3 Trial clinical intervention were identified by the researchers; step 2: the researcher panellists then selected one third of the BCTs recommended for use as appropriate for the clinical context of the ED and, using the enabler workshop data, devised enabling strategies for each of the selected BCTs; and step 3: the final implementation intervention consisted of 27 BCTs). The TDF was successfully applied in all steps of developing an implementation intervention for the T3 Trial clinical intervention. The use of researcher panel opinion was an essential part of the BCT selection process to incorporate both research evidence and expert judgment. It is recommended that this stepped approach (theory, evidence and practical issues of feasibility and acceptability) is used to develop highly reportable implementation interventions. The classifying of BCTs using recognised implementation intervention components will facilitate generalisability and sharing across different conditions and clinical settings.

32 citations


Cites background from "Triage assessments and the activati..."

  • ...Yet, inappropriate triage [2] and delays in diagnosis, treatment and transfer of stroke patients from ED to stroke units still occur [1]....

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Journal Article
01 Feb 2007-Stroke
TL;DR: Factors associated with stroke recognition and factors associated with a call for ambulance assistance within 1 hour from symptom onset are determined among ambulance-transported stroke patients.
Abstract: Background and Purpose— Few acute stroke patients are treated with alteplase, partly because of significant prehospital delays after symptom onset. The aim of this study was to determine among ambulance-transported stroke patients factors associated with stroke recognition and factors associated with a call for ambulance assistance within 1 hour from symptom onset. Methods— For 6 months in 2004, all ambulance-transported stroke or transient ischemic attack patients arriving from a geographically defined region in Melbourne (Australia) to 1 of 3 hospital emergency departments were assessed. Tapes of the call for ambulance assistance were analyzed and the patient and the caller were interviewed. Results— One hundred ninety-eight patients were included in the study. Stroke was reported as the problem in 44% of ambulance calls. Unprompted stroke recognition was independently associated with facial droop (P=0.015) and a history of stroke or transient ischemic attack (P<0.001). More than half of the calls for a...

23 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This theoretically informed intervention is aimed at addressing important gaps in care to maximise 90-day health outcomes for patients with stroke and will be conducted in EDs of hospitals with stroke units in three Australian states and one territory.
Abstract: Internationally recognised evidence-based guidelines recommend appropriate triage of patients with stroke in emergency departments (EDs), administration of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), and proactive management of fever, hyperglycaemia and swallowing before prompt transfer to a stroke unit to maximise outcomes. We aim to evaluate the effectiveness in EDs of a theory-informed, nurse-initiated, intervention to improve multidisciplinary triage, treatment and transfer (T3) of patients with acute stroke to improve 90-day death and dependency. Organisational and contextual factors associated with intervention uptake also will be evaluated. This prospective, multicentre, parallel group, cluster randomised trial with blinded outcome assessment will be conducted in EDs of hospitals with stroke units in three Australian states and one territory. EDs will be randomised 1:1 within strata defined by state and tPA volume to receive either the T3 intervention or no additional support (control EDs). Our T3 intervention comprises an evidence-based care bundle targeting: (1) triage: routine assignment of patients with suspected stroke to Australian Triage Scale category 1 or 2; (2) treatment: screening for tPA eligibility and administration of tPA where applicable; instigation of protocols for management of fever, hyperglycaemia and swallowing; and (3) transfer: prompt admission to the stroke unit. We will use implementation science behaviour change methods informed by the Theoretical Domains Framework [1, 2] consisting of (i) workshops to determine barriers and local solutions; (ii) mixed interactive and didactic education; (iii) local clinical opinion leaders; and (iv) reminders in the form of email, telephone and site visits. Our primary outcome measure is 90 days post-admission death or dependency (modified Rankin Scale >2). Secondary outcomes are health status (SF-36), functional dependency (Barthel Index), quality of life (EQ-5D); and quality of care outcomes, namely, monitoring and management practices for thrombolysis, fever, hyperglycaemia, swallowing and prompt transfer. Outcomes will be assessed at the patient level. A separate process evaluation will examine contextual factors to successful intervention uptake. At the time of publication, EDs have been randomised and the intervention is being implemented. This theoretically informed intervention is aimed at addressing important gaps in care to maximise 90-day health outcomes for patients with stroke. Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12614000939695 . Registered 2 September 2014.

14 citations


Cites background from "Triage assessments and the activati..."

  • ...However, these targets are not always met; an analysis of Victorian ambulance data demonstrated that 30 % of patients with stroke were not allocated an ATS category of 1 or 2 [7]....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The results suggest that the increased sensitivity of digital ELISA could enable the use of brain-specific proteins as blood biomarkers of ischemic stroke during triage.

12 citations

References
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: As compared with placebo, intravenous alteplase administered between 3 and 4.5 hours after the onset of symptoms significantly improved clinical outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke; altePlase was more frequently associated with symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage.
Abstract: Background Intravenous thrombolysis with alteplase is the only approved treatment for acute ischemic stroke, but its efficacy and safety when administered more than 3 hours after the onset of symptoms have not been established. We tested the efficacy and safety of alteplase administered between 3 and 4.5 hours after the onset of a stroke. Methods After exclusion of patients with a brain hemorrhage or major infarction, as detected on a computed tomographic scan, we randomly assigned patients with acute ischemic stroke in a 1:1 double-blind fashion to receive treatment with intravenous alteplase (0.9 mg per kilogram of body weight) or placebo. The primary end point was disability at 90 days, dichotomized as a favorable outcome (a score of 0 or 1 on the modified Rankin scale, which has a range of 0 to 6, with 0 indicating no symptoms at all and 6 indicating death) or an unfavorable outcome (a score of 2 to 6 on the modified Rankin scale). The secondary end point was a global outcome analysis of four neurologic and disability scores combined. Safety end points included death, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, and other serious adverse events. Results We enrolled a total of 821 patients in the study and randomly assigned 418 to the alteplase group and 403 to the placebo group. The median time for the administration of alteplase was 3 hours 59 minutes. More patients had a favorable outcome with alte plase than with placebo (52.4% vs. 45.2%; odds ratio, 1.34; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02 to 1.76; P = 0.04). In the global analysis, the outcome was also improved with alteplase as compared with placebo (odds ratio, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.65; P<0.05). The incidence of intracranial hemorrhage was higher with alteplase than with placebo (for any intracranial hemorrhage, 27.0% vs. 17.6%; P = 0.001; for symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, 2.4% vs. 0.2%; P = 0.008). Mortality did not differ significant ly between the alteplase and placebo groups (7.7% and 8.4%, respectively; P = 0.68). There was no significant difference in the rate of other serious adverse events. Conclusions As compared with placebo, intravenous alteplase administered between 3 and 4.5 hours after the onset of symptoms significantly improved clinical outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke; alteplase was more frequently associated with symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00153036.)

5,491 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This work uncovers the Knowledge Embedded in Clinical Nursing Practice and discusses the Dreyfus Model of Skill Acquisition Applied to Nursing and its implications for Research and Clinical Practice.
Abstract: 1. Uncovering the Knowledge Embedded in Clinical Nursing Practice. 2. The Dreyfus Model of Skill Acquisition Applied to Nursing. 3. An Interpretive Approach to Identifying and Describing Clinical Knowledge. 4. The Helping Role. 5. The Teaching-Coaching Function. 6. The Diagnostic and Monitoring Function. 7. Effective Management of Rapidly Changing Situations. 8. Administering and Monitoring Therapeutic Interventions and Regimens. 9. Monitoring and Ensuring the Quality of Health Care Practices. 10. Organizational and Work-Role Competencies. 11. Implications for Research and Clinical Practice. 12. Implications for Career Development and Education. 13. The Quest for a New Identity and New Entitlement in Nursing. 14. Excellence and Power in Clinical Nursing Practice. Epilogue: Practical Applications. References. Glossary. Appendix. Index.

5,161 citations

Journal Article
TL;DR: The goal is to provide an overview of the current evidence about components of the evaluation and treatment of adults with acute ischemic stroke.
Abstract: Chelsea Kidwell, Patrick D. Lyden, Lewis B. Morgenstern, Adnan I. Qureshi, Robert Brass, Anthony Furlan, Robert L. Grubb, Randall T. Higashida, Edward C. Jauch, Harold P. Adams, Jr, Gregory del Zoppo, Mark J. Alberts, Deepak L. Bhatt, Lawrence Guidelines for the Early Management of Adults With Ischemic Stroke : ISSN: 1524-4628 Copyright © 2007 American Heart Association. All rights reserved. Print ISSN: 0039-2499. Online Stroke is published by the American Heart Association. 7272 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, TX 72514 doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.107.181486 2007, 38:1655-1711: originally published online April 12, 2007 Stroke http://stroke.ahajournals.org/content/38/5/1655 located on the World Wide Web at: The online version of this article, along with updated information and services, is http://stroke.ahajournals.org/ http://stroke.ahajournals.org/ An erratum has been published regarding this article. Please see the attached page for:

2,687 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
01 May 2007-Stroke
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors provide an overview of the current evidence about components of the evaluation and treatment of adults with acute ischemic stroke and provide information for healthcare policy makers.
Abstract: Purpose— Our goal is to provide an overview of the current evidence about components of the evaluation and treatment of adults with acute ischemic stroke. The intended audience is physicians and other emergency healthcare providers who treat patients within the first 48 hours after stroke. In addition, information for healthcare policy makers is included. Methods— Members of the panel were appointed by the American Heart Association Stroke Council’s Scientific Statement Oversight Committee and represented different areas of expertise. The panel reviewed the relevant literature with an emphasis on reports published since 2003 and used the American Heart Association Stroke Council’s Levels of Evidence grading algorithm to rate the evidence and to make recommendations. After approval of the statement by the panel, it underwent peer review and approval by the American Heart Association Science Advisory and Coordinating Committee. It is intended that this guideline be fully updated in 3 years. Results— Managem...

2,263 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The article covers referral and emergency management, Stroke Unit service, diagnostics, primary and secondary prevention, general stroke treatment, specific treatment including acute management, management of complications, and rehabilitation.
Abstract: This article represents the update of the European Stroke Initiative Recommendations for Stroke Management. These guidelines cover both ischaemic stroke and transient ischaemic attacks, which are now considered to be a single entity. The article covers referral and emergency management, Stroke Unit service, diagnostics, primary and secondary prevention, general stroke treatment, specific treatment including acute management, management of complications, and rehabilitation.

2,125 citations

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