Criteria for a stroke code?

At my hospital, we call a code stroke on essentially any abnormal neurological finding less than 6 hours old (used to be 24 hours). We don't call one based off of EMS though.
 
Any positive finding when doing Cincinnati tests, BGL higher than 50, going on less than 8 hours.
 
JPINFV said:
At my hospital, we call a code stroke on essentially any abnormal neurological finding less than 6 hours old (used to be 24 hours). We don't call one based off of EMS though.
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So out of curiosity, if a crew calls a patch that obviously indicates CVA potential, what is the ED's response? Do they just stick them in a room like usual?
 
Pretty much. However our bed to doc time is essentially nil anyways. It's not like the patient is waiting for 15 minutes for someone to walk in. Additionally we have 2 CT scanners, so once it is called, they go to CT pretty fast, unless we're dealing with traumas.
 
JPINFV said:
Pretty much. However our bed to doc time is essentially nil anyways. It's not like the patient is waiting for 15 minutes for someone to walk in. Additionally we have 2 CT scanners, so once it is called, they go to CT pretty fast, unless we're dealing with traumas.
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Gothca.
 
I don't thing a stroke alert is as taxing on the resources of the hospital as a STEMI alert. If I reasonably suspect a stroke through any combination of s/s or hx I call it. Some patients have such a severe neuro deficit from CVA that they can not be evaluated on any stroke scale.
 
Just had one yesterday. NIH of 11, agitated, nearly aphasic, right-sided hemiparesis and urinary incontinence on arrival. 9 minutes on-scene, transport to ED, stroke alert en route. Alteplase restored to NIH of 2.
 
Do you leave the pt. on the stretcher and take them to CT? Or is the pt. moved to the ER bed then taken to CT?
 
At my hospital the patient is moved to the ED stretcher.
 
Ed stretcher, but straight to ct
 
cruiseforever said:
Do you leave the pt. on the stretcher and take them to CT? Or is the pt. moved to the ER bed then taken to CT?
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Normally ED stretcher, but I just did one today where the crew called it in, doc met them at the door, took 1 look at the pt and sent them straight through to CT on the ambulance stretcher.
 
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