Stroke Warning Signs – B.E. | F.A.S.T.
A stroke is a medical emergency. The signs of a stroke are usually very sudden and are not always obvious or dramatic. It is important to recognize subtle stroke symptoms because early treatment is the key to a successful recovery.
Saint Francis Stroke Care
Saint Francis emergency centers are equipped to care for and stabilize stroke patients. Emergency centers are located across eastern Oklahoma in the following communities:
Saint Francis Hospital Comprehensive Stroke Center
Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa, OK, has been designated as a Comprehensive Stroke Center and is prepared to treat all types of stroke. The Center includes a dedicated neurosurgery ICU and on-site neurosurgery 24/7. The team cares for complex stroke patients from across the region.
What to Expect
The Saint Francis Hospital stroke response team is prepared and ready to act. Upon arrival to the Saint Francis Trauma Emergency Center, a stroke patient is immediately taken for a computed tomography (CT) scan. The stroke alert nurse and team evaluate the patient and determine next steps.
Evaluation of stroke patient includes:
- Determining when the patient was last seen in his or her normal state
- Verifying the type of stroke that occurred (Ischemic or hemorrhagic)
- Utilizing other diagnostic testing, including Diagnostic Cerebral Angiogram, CT Perfusion with RAPID software, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Carotid Ultrasound and Echocardiogram to establish the severity of the stroke
Stroke treatment options vary depending on the severity and type of stroke that occurred. For patients who experience an ischemic stroke (the most common type of stroke), receiving a tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) within 90 minutes of stroke symptoms occurring helps them fare far better after three months than those patients who do not receive stroke treatment therapy in a timely manner.
Our Multidisciplinary Stroke Team
The stroke team at Saint Francis Hospital represents many different departments working together. This team includes:
- Neurology
- Neurosurgery
- Neurointerventionalist
- Interventional Radiology
- Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy
Nurses and staff of the stroke response team, as well as those working in the stroke treatment units at Saint Francis Hospital, go through additional training to support and care for the specialized needs of stroke patients and their families.
Questions about our stroke program?
For questions regarding the Saint Francis Hospital stroke program, contact Cameron Richardson, Program Manager, via email or by calling 918-501-0494.
Our Stroke Care Departments
Stroke care at Saint Francis Hospital includes four main units:
- Neuro-Intensive Care — Provides an advanced level of care to manage the most critical neurological patients until they are stable.
- Neuro-Critical Care — Ensures patients are ready to enter the general neurological unit (Neuro-Acute Care) and the next phase of recovery after a stroke.
- Neuro-Acute Care — Retrains the brain and prepares a treatment plan that helps to prevent a second stroke in collaboration with patients, their families, and the medical treatment team. The acute care unit provides a calm, healing environment and patient therapy studio for easy access during therapy.
- Inpatient Rehabilitation — Works with the patient in regaining any lost mobility and obtaining independence.
Awards and Certifications
The team of stroke specialists at Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa, OK works hard to ensure every stroke patient they see gets the best care available. All of that work has paid off and we couldn't be more proud.
Saint Francis Primary Stroke Centers
Saint Francis Hospital South and Saint Francis Hospital Muskogee are designated as Primary Stroke Centers and can treat most ischemic strokes locally. As a recognized Primary Stroke Center, doctors and staff provide a full spectrum of stroke care including diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and education.
Most cases of ischemic stroke can be diagnosed, stabilized and treated — keeping more patients close to home. Hemorrhagic strokes can be diagnosed and stabilized, then sent to the Comprehensive Stroke Center at Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa for the continued care complex strokes require.
