First Coast Stroke Centers and Local AANN Partner to Host Advanced Stroke Life Support Course

Jacksonville, Florida, May 15, 2008 -- On May 28, 2008, the Northeast Florida chapter of the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses (AANN) will partner with First Coast Stroke Centers -- Baptist Medical Center Downtown, Baptist Medical Center South, Flagler Hospital, Mayo Clinic hospital , Memorial Hospital and Shands Medical Center Jacksonville -- to present a free full-day Advanced Stroke Life Support (ASLS) course for the area's front line care providers, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and nursing professionals.

Florida Community College at Jacksonville, Jacksonville Fire/Rescue Department and St. Johns County Fire/ Rescue Department will also take part in the program. The event, the first of its kind in the area, is being held to celebrate National Stroke Awareness Month, National Nurses Week and National EMS Week.

Stroke is third leading cause of death in the United States and the leading cause of "acquired" physical disability in adults. This partnership of the area's Stroke Centers, EMS Providers and AANN, the first of its kind in Jacksonville, is an important step in enhancing the care provided to those on the First Coast who suffer a stroke.

Although the drug rt-PA is demonstrated to prevent or reduce disability from stroke if administrated in under three hours, less than 10 percent of hospitalized stroke patients in the United States receive it; reasons include lack of public awareness of warning signs, EMS misdiagnosis and, in rural areas, lack of transport to a hospital offering rt-PA treatment.

These issues, as well as pre-hospital and emergency care of stroke patients, risk factors, assessment tools and differentiating stroke from other conditions will be addressed.

The course, developed by the University of Miami's Center for Research in Medical Education and made possible by an education grant from Genentech, will be held at the Jacksonville Local of the International Association of Firefighters Union Hall at 618 Stockton Street. Lunch is included in the event for all participants. Members of the Firefighters Union will prepare the meal.

There are plans to make this group effort concerning stroke education a yearly occurrence. For more information, contact , Stroke Outreach Educator, Shands Jacksonville, 904.244.9098.