Advanced Stroke Life Support (ASLS)

Curriculum developed at The Gordon Center for Research in Medical Education, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida

Course Description:

This course addresses the pre-hospital, emergency department, and stroke unit management of patients with acute stroke. Using interactive discussions, hands-on workshops, multimedia (computerized video clips) and standardized patients (instructors that act out and simulate different stroke syndromes), the course includes a discussion of the differential diagnosis of stroke, rapid recognition of five major stroke syndromes, training in the use of the Miami Emergency Neurologic Deficit (M.E.N.D.) exam (based on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and incorporating the Cincinnati Pre-hospital Stroke Scale) and the actual NIHSS, education regarding the use of thrombolytic therapy in acute ischemic stroke patients, and a detailed discussion of the acute care of stroke patients in the hospital, including prevention of medical complications, rehabilitation in the acute setting, the diagnostic evaluation, secondary stroke prevention strategies, and discharge planning for the patient and family. This course is appropriate for both new and experienced providers, particularly nurses and physicians who work in the emergency departments, stroke unit, and stroke-unit equivalents.

Course Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Discuss the latest information and research on the epidemiology, risk factors, causes and prevention of strokes.
2. Describe the components of the focused neuro exam, importance of brevity and urgency in collecting the data, and as well as the accuracy in describing assessment findings.
3. Correlate the signs of brain injury to the location of the lesion in the brain versus ruling out other causes or mimics of a stroke. The student shall understand the importance of obtaining a good patient history (current and past).
4. Discuss a comprehensive understanding of stroke care, time line management for appropriate thrombolytic therapy, supportive care, prevention of medical complications and rehabilitation.
5. Perform a focused neuro exam on a standardized normal individual and identify appropriate and inappropriate methods of performing the exam.
   
6. Demonstrate in a “hands-on session” examination of three to four different standardized “patients” and correlate the assessment findings to the type of stroke syndrome.

Course Number: CAE 0604

Course Dates & Reference Number:

Saturday, September 12, 2009 #377188

Time:  8:00 – 5:00 pm

Hours: 8.0

Cost: $157.37 (includes provider manual)

Location: Central Campus, Building 8, Room 241

Upcoming Date:

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Further Questions? Call Continuing Education Staff:

Sonia Kaiser – 954.201.6905

Linda DeCurzio – 954.201.6768

Kathy King – 954.201.6440

3 Easy Ways to Register:

1. Online at www.broward.edu/cehealth
   Follow directions for application, registration and payment
2. In Person - at any Broward College Campus
3. By Mail – Please download a copy of the non-credit course registration/application form from our website www.broward.edu/cehealth Complete and mail to the address noted on the form

Participants must attend the entire offering. Partial Credit cannot be given. LATE ARRIVAL and EARLY DEPARTURE will result in loss of ALL credits.