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April 28, 2009
Marquette General Hospital participates in stroke month activities to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of stroke
During Stroke Awareness Month, Marquette General Hospital encourages people at risk for stroke and their family members, friends, and caregivers to learn the signs of stroke. In many cases, a person experiencing stroke does not realize it is occurring, but bystanders can recognize the symptoms and act quickly.
“The best thing to do when you see someone having a stroke is to call 9-1-1 immediately.” said MGH neurologist Roman Politi, MD. “Getting stroke victims to the hospital immediately can greatly increase their chance of having little or no disability.”
If you experience, or witness anyone experiencing, the following symptoms,
please call 9-1-1:
· Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm, or leg—especially on one side of the body;
· Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding;
· Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes;
· Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination; or
· Sudden severe headache with no known cause.
MGH will seek Joint Commission Primary Stroke Center certification in 2009 to improve hospital and emergency medical services and increase quality of care for stroke patients.
This process requires working with neurologists, radiologists, emergency physicians, nurses, emergency medical technicians, and others, such as primary care physicians, to create and implement systems and protocols for evaluating and treating stroke patients.
“By improving the systems that affect stroke care, we can dramatically improve the outcomes for many patients,” said Jeanette Stebelton, RN, MGH Stroke Clinical Coordinator. “The key to stroke care is creating a chain of recovery that is focused on identifying and treating stroke patients at the earliest stage possible.”
To help people recognize the symptoms of stroke quickly, the American Stroke Association has funded research into the FAST system: Face-Arm-Speech-Time. This is a simple way to help people recognize the symptoms of stroke quickly.
1. Facial weakness –Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
2. Arm weakness – Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? Is one arm weak or numb?
3. Speech problems - Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Can the person speak clearly and understand what you say? Is the person’s speech slurred?
4. Time to call 911 if the person has failed any one of these tests, you must call 911.
For more information, please call Jeanette Stebelton, RN, Stroke Clinical Coordinator, at (906) 225-7587.
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