Stroke Analysis and Best Practices for Improved Health
Stroke is a medical emergency disease that happens when part of a brain collapses after losing blood supply. The part of the body controlled by the affected section of the brain also stops functioning (Alqwaifly et al., 2020). Stroke is also known as brain attack or cerebrovascular accident and exists in two types, including ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes. In ischemic stroke, a part of the brain misses blood flow, while in hemorrhagic, bleeding happens in the brain. A transient ischemic attack is a mini-stroke that resolves on its own within minutes but can take up to 24 hours (Alqwaifly et al., 2020). A mini-stroke is a warning sign that the individual might have a stroke shortly.
People at risk of getting stroke are those with major health problems, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol level. Smokers and people with rhythmic heart disturbances are also at a higher risk (Alqwaifly et al., 2020). Some of the symptoms that push people with stroke to need medical emergency include weakness in arms, speech difficulty, and drooping face (Alqwaifly et al., 2020). Other warning symptoms of the disease are an acute level of confusion, partial loss of vision, numbness of part or half of the body, double vision, and balance difficulties.
The first practice to improve the health of stroke patients is delivering medical emergencies. The friends, families, or onlookers of stroke patients are advised to call for emergency help immediately. The condition requires emergency care because of the interrupted blood supply in the brain (Le Danseur, 2020). When the blood supply is reduced, the brain cells, due to receiving reduced nutrients and oxygen, begin to die in minutes (Alqwaifly et al., 2020). Therefore, giving immediate care to a stroke patient is crucial to prevent further brain damage. Once the patient is settled, establishing a stroke care system is critical to further improve the patient health (Le Danseur, 2020). The system offers care to prevent reoccurrence, treatment, and rehabilitation of the patient.
Specific Goals to Address Stroke
The short-term goal for a stroke patient is to ensure the recovered flow of blood in the affected part of the brain. This goal is enabled by providing immediate medical emergency services (Le Danseur, 2020). A further achievement of this goal requires the collaboration of healthcare providers and patient families to offer the best medical, psychological, and emotional support. Although attaining the goal is critical, delivering short-term rehabilitation for the patient requires perseverance, creativity, and patience. According to Le Danseur (2020), early rehabilitation improves mental and physical functioning and, in positive cases, remarkable recovery. The early rehabilitation is done while preserving the patients’ dignity and encouraging them to relearn most basic skills that might have been impaired, including eating, talking, walking, bathing and dressing.
A long-term goal for stroke patients is to fully regain normal brain functioning and proper functioning of other impaired parts of the body. This goal is attained by several practices, such as providing intensive and individualized rehabilitation. Other activities include offering extensive education and training to the patient and the family (Le Danseur, 2020). The patient and his or her family are taught ways to support the patient’s recovery. The long-term goal also aims at rebuilding the patient’s quality of life. Organizing activities to smoothen the transitioning of the patient back to normal operations, especially in work, school or community, is also essential. The rehabilitation is also expected to facilitate minimal chances of the reoccurrence of stroke in patients.
Available Community Resources for Safe and Effective Continuum of Care
Combining the use of various community resources in the short and long-term rehabilitation of the patient provides safety and effectiveness of care delivery. Emergency medical service is the most critical resource available in the community (Adeoye et al., 2019). Timely delivery of necessary emergency care can help relieve off some symptoms and prevent further brain damage in stroke patients. Another available resource is family support which involves family members helping the patient with duties like feeding, bathing, dressing, and walking.
Community-based rehabilitation centers have therapists to help the patient with full recovery. A psychotherapist helps stroke patients by evaluating their mental health statuses and treating any found problems (Adeoye et al., 2019). A physiotherapist is also necessary to provide the patient with physical therapy to heal from the damages caused by stroke. Community-based recovery programs that offer cultural activities such as swimming and yoga can help the patient speed up physical and social recovery.
Another available resource is stroke intervention programs which address ethnic and racial disparities while creating stroke awareness. These programs advise stroke patients and the general public on the probable causes of stroke and preventive measures to be taken (Adeoye et al., 2019). Many people have little knowledge about the risk factors, and symptoms of stroke thus are caught unaware by the disease. Educating the stroke patients and the public ensures minimal recurrence of the disease and reduced chances of stroke amongst the participants (Adeoye et al., 2019). Other community resources include training and education programs that target the most vulnerable population and stakeholders such as social workers, cardiologists, neurologists, and nutritionists. The combination of all the resources and stakeholders helps in delivering the safest and most effective care for stroke patients.
References
Adeoye, O., Nyström, K. V., Yavagal, D. R., Luciano, J., Nogueira, R. G., Zorowitz, R. D., & Jauch, E. C. (2019). Recommendations for the establishment of stroke systems of care: A 2019 update: A policy statement from the American stroke association. AHA Journals, 50(7), 187-210. Web.
Alqwaifly, M., Alghasham, G., Alkadi, S. A., & Aloyaidi, G. A. (2020). Awareness of stroke risk factors, warning symptoms, and significance of acute management and prevention in Qassim, Saudi Arabia. IJMDC, 4(1), 2158-2163. Web.
Le Danseur, M. (2020). Stroke rehabilitation. Critical Care Nursing Clinics, 32(1), 97-108. Web.