title: Thrombolysis for acute ischaemic stroke and the role of the nurse.
abstract: This article describes thrombolysis for acute ischaemic stroke as an emerging treatment modality. National clinical guidelines emphasized the need to identify acute stroke as a clinical priority and to develop protocols for the early assessment and treatment of stroke patients. Fast-track services developed in other clinical scenarios have proven successful and this article outlines the potential benefits of a fast-track service for acute stroke. The role of the clinical nurse specialist in stroke is central to this service; this role includes development and implementation of fast-track protocols in accident and emergency, rapid assessment for eligibility of thrombolysis and coordinating post-thrombolysis monitoring and acute stroke care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Stroke Medicine, King's College Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fitzpatrick
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Birns
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000451:nursing* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D020521:Stroke / Q000451:nursing* / Q000628:therapy*; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000451:nursing*