Decrease Arrival to CT Time to Improve Stroke Outcomes

<p>Abstract Final</p> <p>The specific goal of the project is to decrease the arrival to t-PA treatment times to <45 minutes in > 50% of the cases. The decreased treatment time will prove to shorten the average length of stay on average by two days (Audebert & Sobesky, 2014). The goal will be accomplished by decreasing the arrival to computerized tomography (CT) scan completion time by at least 20%. The specific population of patients will be all stroke alert arrivals to the process’s microsystem via EMS, an Advanced Primary Stroke Center in Sacramento California. Root Cause Analysis, Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threat (SWOT), and Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) are several of the tools used to identify and implement the project. The data six months after process implementation showed a decrease in arrival to CT completion time of 42.9%, well below the target decrease of 20%. The door to needle (DTN) times experienced an overall average decrease of 32.1 % and met the AHA/ASA Target Stroke Phase II goal of 50% of t-PA cases treated < 45 minutes. Finally, patients who received t-PA after process initiation experienced a 2.5 decrease in length of stay when compared to the previous year. This represents a 58.3% decrease in LOS compared to the goal of 50%. These results are very encouraging that the process is having a positive effect on the target patient population. </p> <p>References</p> <p>Audebert, H. J., & Sobesky, J. (2014, October 21st). . <em>’Time is brain’ after stroke, regardless of age and severity</em>, <em>10</em>, 675-676. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038.nrnerol.2014.194</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

Level thesis:degree_level

Project/Capstone - Global access

Year dc:date.available

2015

Author dc:creator

• Peterson, Curt

Contributors dc:contributor

• Elena Capella, EdD MSN/MPA RN CNL CPHQ LNCC

• Decrease Arrival CT Time Improve Stroke
• Medicine and Health Sciences
• Nursing

Repository record dc:identifier

https://repository.usfca.edu/capstone/200

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.usfca.edu:capstone-1209