The Illinois Department of Public Health recently redesignated Passavant as an Acute Stroke Ready Hospital.

“As an Acute Stroke Ready Hospital, our patients are provided rapid medical access within that narrow 60-minute treatment time,” said Jerrod Wilson, BSN, CEN, TNS, ECRN, Emergency Department nurse manager. “It’s critical that stroke patients receive medical attention immediately. Each second a patient waits for treatment denies the brain of needed blood and oxygen. Immediate treatment may minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death. Having this program allows us to provide timely treatment and prepares the patient for transfer to a primary stroke center, such as Memorial Medical Center.”

A stroke occurs when a vessel in the brain is blocked by a blood clot or ruptures. A stroke caused by a clot is called an ischemic stroke; about 85 percent of all strokes are ischemic. The only treatment for ischemic strokes is tissue plasminogen activator (tPA, given through an IV in the arm). The tPA dissolves the clot and improves blood flow to the part of the brain being deprived of blood flow. If administered within three hours, tPA may improve the chances of recovering from a stroke.

“Development of our program was truly a team effort,” Wilson said. “We work together to continually evaluate and refine our guidelines and processes to achieve the very best outcomes for our stroke patients.”