New Stroke Module ‘Hyperacute Stroke Decision Making for Clinicians’

Project background

First launched in 2008, the Stroke Training and Awareness Resources (STARs) project was commissioned by the Scottish Government to produce an e-learning resource which would enhance the educational opportunities for health and social care staff working with people affected by stroke.

Module credits

The module author is Prof Martin Dennis, Professor of Stroke Medicine, the University of Edinburgh. The module was developed by Prof Martin Dennis and Jacqueline Aim, e-learning Content Developer, Information Services, the University of Edinburgh.

Prof Martin Dennis University profile

Jacqueline Aim University profile

Target audience

This resource will be of interest to any healthcare worker involved in the delivery of hyperacute stroke treatments. Also, anyone who would like to understand how decisions are made will find this new resource interesting and useful.

Module overview

The module includes an introduction to the process of making decisions about the use of thrombolysis and thrombectomy in patients presenting with acute ischaemic stroke.

Having reviewed the factors which need to be taken account of, the module moves on to 20 case scenarios, including the clinical features and radiological findings (non-contrast CT, CTA and CTP) with a neuro radiologist’s interpretation.

Learners are then invited to make management decisions about the need for advanced imaging (CTP), treatment of blood pressure, administration of thrombolysis and referral for thrombectomy.

Having made their decision learners can compare their decisions with those of five experienced colleagues from Scotland, England and Canada who provide the rationale for their decisions.

There are over 100 pages, 80 photographs and 80 H5P interactive quizzes contained within this e-learning resource,  and the total estimated reading time for this module is 10.5 hours.

Open-access resource

To find out more, please visit the free CHSS e-learning resource which includes STARs, HEARTe and OHCA.

CHSS e-learning resource

Copyright and licence

Copyright © 2021 Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland and The University of Edinburgh. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Full list of module contributors

Experienced colleagues who provided their management decisions and rationales are Dr Tracey Baird, Consultant Neurologist, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. Prof Mark Barber, Stroke Physician, Lanarkshire. Dr Shelagh Coutts, Professor of Neurology, University of Calgary, Canada. Dr Anthony Pereira, Consultant Neurologist and Stroke Physician, St George’s Hospital, London.

Scans and interpretations

Dr William Whiteley, Reader, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh. Dr Paul Armstrong, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Institute of Neurological Sciences provided scans and interpretations.

Reviewers

Dr Fiona Wright, Consultant Stroke Physician, Glasgow Royal Infirmary and deputy advisor to the Chief Medical Officer and Dr Wazim Izzath, Consultant Interventional Neuroradiologist, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde reviewed the cases.