Stroke awareness among inpatient nursing staff at an academic medical center

Because 10% of strokes occur in hospitalized patients, we sought to evaluate stroke knowledge and predictors of stroke knowledge among inpatient and emergency department nursing staff.

Nursing staff completed an online stroke survey. The survey queried outcome expectations (the importance of rapid stroke identification), self-efficacy in recognizing stroke, and stroke knowledge (to name 3 stroke warning signs or symptoms). Adequate stroke knowledge was defined as the ability to name ≥2 stroke warning signs. Logistic regression was used to identify the association between stroke symptom knowledge and staff characteristics (education, clinical experience, and nursing unit), stroke self-efficacy, and outcome expectations.

A total of 875 respondents (84% response rate) completed the survey and most of the respondents were nurses. More than 85% of respondents correctly reported ≥2 stroke warning signs or symptoms. Greater self-efficacy in identifying stroke symptoms (odds ratio, 1.13; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.27) and higher ratings for the importance of rapid identification of stroke symptoms (odds ratio, 1.23; 95% confidence interval, 1.002-1.51) were associated with stroke knowledge. Clinical experience, educational experience, nursing unit, and personal knowledge of a stroke patient were not associated with stroke knowledge.

Stroke outcome expectations and self-efficacy are associated with stroke knowledge and should be included in nursing education about stroke.