Assessment of the experience of Saudi emergency medical services personnel with acute stroke. On-scene stroke identification, triaging, and dispatch of acute stroke patients

OBJECTIVE: To assess the knowledge, experience, and the impact of seniority of Saudi emergency services (EMS) personnel in dealing with acute stroke patients.

METHODS: We conducted this cross-sectional survey using a 3-part structured questionnaire involving 102 EMS personnel in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between October and December 2011. We assessed participants’ demographic factors, their ability to identify cardinal symptoms of stroke, use of assessment tools, knowledge of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), and dispatch of patients.

RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 27.6 (+/-4.5) years. Approximately half of the group had experience of up to 2 years. Six percent of participants were not aware of any stroke symptoms, and only 3% identified 5 or more correct symptoms. None of the participants used any stroke specific assessment tools. Around 98% of participants dispatched patients to the nearest hospitals without taking into account availability of stroke treatment facilities. Only 6% of the participants were aware of t-PA and its use in stroke care.

CONCLUSION: Most of the EMS personnel lacked knowledge of the cardinal stroke symptoms, t-PA’s principal uses, and its therapeutic time window. Training opportunities coupled with the implementation of screening tools, stroke triage, and dispatch protocols are urgently required.