Stroke Care – Call 911
Time is brain. When a stroke happens, nearly 2 million brain cells are lost every minute that treatment is delayed.
“Getting to the right place quickly for stroke care is crucial. If you or someone with you is having signs and symptoms of a stroke, don’t get in your car and drive to the ER. Call 911,” says Jennifer Bonner, nurse practitioner at Washington Regional’s J.B. Hunt Transport Services Neuroscience Institute.
“In this region, there is a good system of pre-arrival care,” Bonner says, explaining that a stroke 911 call sets a lifesaving plan in motion. After checking vital signs and assessing the patient’s condition, emergency medical responders let the hospital emergency department know that a stroke patient is on the way. The emergency department then alerts Washington Regional’s stroke care team and readies the CT scan equipment. Upon arriving at the hospital, the patient bypasses the ER and goes directly in for a CT scan and appropriate treatment.
Bonner says the latest advancements in stroke treatment are typically found at Comprehensive Stroke Centers, such as Washington Regional Medical Center. “Comprehensive Stroke Centers offer a patient’s best chance for survival and recovery,” she says. “Washington Regional is the only hospital in Northwest Arkansas — and one of only three hospitals in the state — to have earned certification as a Comprehensive Stroke Center. This means that Washington Regional has the capability to treat even complex stroke cases.
“Plus, Washington Regional is the only area hospital with stroke specialists offering 24/7/365 in-person care,” she says.
“Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability. There are well over 750,000 strokes every year in America, and a large portion of those are in our area. The southeastern United States has a heavy stroke burden, so it’s important that we treat and prevent those.”
To make sure patients get the timely help they need, she recommends learning to recognize the most common symptoms of stroke, such as:
- Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
- Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding speech
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause
“Every minute that we can shave off that time until the patient gets care helps prevent death and disability.”