Abstract
Background: Stroke Coordinators (SC) are commonly utilized in US Stroke Centers, ensuring provision of evidence-based service, overseeing quality improvement, and supporting interdisciplinary and community education. Mission Thrombectomy 2020 (MT2020) partnered with the Association of Neurovascular Clinicians (ANVC) to understand how SCs are utilized outside the US and to compare developmental needs for this role across the world. Methods: A brief survey was constructed to capture information about the use of SCs and their duties, including personnel utilized to execute the role and areas deemed important for role development. The survey was disseminated through the MT2020 and ANVC membership rosters; returned data were assembled in SPSS (version 25) and analyzed using descriptive and X 2 statistics. Results: A total of 70 surveys were returned from 16 countries (63% USA). Survey responders were SCs (41%), physicians (39%), program managers (19%) and APPs(1%), and 49% were from CSCs/TSCs with 40% PSC and 11% ASR/other hospital; 92% had someone completing SC duties with MDs more commonly in the SC role outside the USA (63%) versus RNs in the USA (95%; X 2 =25.2, p<0.001). Table 1 lists role differences between USA and other countries. Of the 70% of respondents interested in receiving SC development resources, the aspect deemed most important was “Improvement of Stroke Nursing Knowledge/Care” (71% non-USA/81% USA). “Development of Stroke Systems of Care” was deemed second most important by non-USA hospitals (53%), followed by “Development of Government Policy” (35%). Conclusions: Non-USA Stroke Centers have significant SC development needs that differ markedly from those within the USA. MT2020 provides an important platform to engage international programs and the MT2020-ANVC partnership is well positioned to further stroke nursing care and SC development globally.
