title: Using Puppets to Teach Schoolchildren to Detect Stroke and Call 911.
abstract: To overcome barriers to improved outcomes, we undertook an intervention to teach schoolchildren how to detect a stroke and call emergency medical services (EMS). We obtained permission from parents and guardians to use an 8-min puppet show to instruct the fourth, fifth, and sixth graders about stroke detection, symptomatology, and calling EMS. A pretest and three posttests-one immediately following the presentation, one at 3 months, and a third at 6 months-were administered. Responses from 282 students were evaluable. Significant improvements (p < .001) in knowledge were found through all posttests in identifying what parts of the body stroke affected and through the first two posttests in recognizing symptoms stroke victims experienced. Students demonstrated at pretest a high awareness of EMS and 911 (97.5%) and showed slight, but not significant, improvement over time.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Medical City Dallas Hospital, Dallas, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Sonya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharkey
authors.affiliation: Organizational Development, Medical City Dallas Hospital, Dallas, TX, USA Houston J. and Florence A. Doswell College of Nursing, Texas Woman's University, Dallas, TX, USA ldenke@mail.twu.edu.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Denke
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Research, Medical City Dallas Hospital, Dallas, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Morley A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Herbert
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010988:Play and Playthings; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013334:Students
keywords: brain; cerebrovascular disorders; chronic diseases; elementary; emergency care/crisis intervention/school nursing; health education; parent/family; stroke