Detecting atrial fibrillation in people who have had a stroke

Recent evidence from two randomised controlled trials suggest that longer term cardiac monitoring (over 30 days) can improve detection rates for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation after stroke. NICE's April edition of 'Eyes on Evidence' has published a summary of theese studies and current NICE guidance on atril fibrillation after stroke. You can register for their monthly newsletter at http://www.nice.org.uk/news/nice-newsletters-and-alerts NICE reports that these studies by Sanna et al (2014)and Gladstone et al (2014) clearly show that we need to look harder and look longer for underlying atrial fibrillation in patients presenting with stroke, before labelling someone as having ‘cryptogenic stroke’. The diagnosis of ‘cryptogenic stroke’ is really a diagnosis of exclusion, after very strenuous efforts to exclude atrial fibrillation. Many patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation are asymptomatic, and relying on symptoms alone is inadequate for diagnosis. Nurses involved in investigating for atrial fibrillation after stroke or TIA may wish to consider this evidence with their stroke teams, as it may impact on the type of monitoring used for AF detection.

A new research paper has been published in Disabibily and Rehabilitaion (Nov 2014) exploring the percieved role of nurses in stroke rehabilitation. Understanding nursing practice in stroke rehabilitation. The study explored the perceived role of nurses in stroke rehabilitation, when acting as part of a multidisciplinary team (MDT) on hospital stroke units. The researchers concluded that MDT members understood the contribution that nurses with stroke rehabilitation skills can make to effective stroke. However, realising their potential as full partners in stroke rehabilitation is unlikely to occur without the introduction of structured competency-based MDT training in rehabilitation skills. More information can be found on the Stroke Association website at www.stroke.org.uk/research/new-research-understanding-nursing-practice-stroke-rehabilitation?

NSNF Conference Newsletter

UK Stroke Forum Conference 2nd - 4th Dec

The NSNF is getting ready to be at the UK Stroke Forum conference in Harrogate next week. Come and visit our stand in Hall H, and our Annual General Meeting is on Tuesday 2nd December at 5pm. Come and see how we have been representing stroke nursing over the last year, and our plans for the next year. We will be lauching a new project 'National Conversation'.... watch this space!

New electronic resource - the South Yorkshire Dysphagia Toolkit

This online, interprofessional Dysphagia Toolkit is the result of several years of work carried out through CLARHC-funded service-improvement projects in Sheffield Teaching Hospitals.

The Toolkit offers a compendium of practical resources and information to support educators/trainers in delivering training sessions and to promote dysphagia as a patient safety issue. 

 There are three main sections. Each starts with a detailed contents page, which also indicates the document format. Some are in Microsoft Word or PowerPoint format so that they can be amended/customised to suit a range of purposes. The sections are: · 

• Background to the development and testing of the Toolkit; the Inter-Professional Dysphagia Framework; Skills for Health and Training Needs Analysis ·
• Resources for trainers to deliver Awareness and Assistant Dysphagia Practitioner training; information about the other levels of the Framework and tips for trainers · 
• Information resources for all about quality of life, nutrition, hydration, alternative forms of feeding, aspiration, administering medicines and mouth care

The Toolkit can be freely accessed directly from: www.dysphagiatoolkit.nihr.ac.uk

Book early to avoid disappointment

Programme for Conference 1st May 2014