Stroke

Our Approach

Franciscan Health’s commitment to positive outcomes is reflected in our achievement of the Primary Stroke Recertification from the Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP), an independent, nationally recognized accreditation authority. All patients exhibiting symptoms of stroke are triaged for Stroke Alert.

Patients can count on Franciscan’s team of nurses, emergency physicians, neurologists, radiologists, critical care doctors, surgeons and others to make treatment determinations within 60 minutes of symptom presentation.

Stroke Alert protocols

When a patient exhibits signs of a stroke, a first responder is immediately sent to the patient’s bedside for assessment, whether in the emergency room or on a nursing floor. Lab work and CT imaging are conducted to provide our emergency physicians and/or neurologist with the proper diagnostic information, which helps to determine the best course of action. The physicians on the case may reach out to specialists, such as neurosurgeons or neuro-interventionalists, depending on the type of treatment.

Stroke Alert protocols are defined for each stage of stroke treatment, including:

• Patient arrives at the emergency room and is rapidly triaged into our Stroke Alert protocol.
• The patient is immediately seen by emergency nurses and physicians who utilize state-of-the-art CT imaging and lab services available 24 hours a day
• A consultation occurs between the emergency physicians and other specialists, including neurologists, neurosurgeons, neuroradiologists, critical care physicians, or neuro-interventionalists
• tPA, a drug that dissolves blood clots is administered, helping to restore flow to the brain
• Critical care monitoring after treatments or interventions
• The point of discharge to home or to stroke rehabilitation

Signs of stroke: remember to BE FAST

The acronym BE FAST offers an easy way to remember the signs of a stroke and what to do if you think a stroke has occurred. However, the most important thing to do is immediately call 911 for emergency assistance.

"BE FAST" STROKE SYMPTOMS:

• B - Balance: Does the person complain of dizziness or have sudden altered or unsteady gait?
• E - Eyes: Does the person have a sudden loss or change in vision?
• F - Face: Ask the person to smile. Check to see if one side of the face droops.
• A - Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. See if one arm drifts downward.
• S - Speech:Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Check to see if words are slurred and if the sentence is repeated correctly.
• T - Time: If a person shows any of these symptoms, time is essential. It is important to get to the hospital as quickly as possible. Call 911. BE FAST.