Nursing Care for Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke Receiving rt-PA: Two Case Studies

Abstract

     This study was case study aimed to provide nursing care guidelines for patients with acute ischemic stroke  receiving rt -PA. This was a comparative study of two cases, starting from the critical period, the rehabilitation period, the continuing care period to the discharge planning period. Data were collected by using the concept of patient assessment according to Gordon’s 11 Functional Health Patterns to investigate the patients’ problems, formulate nursing diagnosis for planning nursing practice and summarize and evaluate nursing outcomes.

     Results: The case studies in this study were two patients with acute ischemic stroke receiving intravenous rt -PA who were living in Mueang District and referred by the emergency ambulance to the Stroke Fast Track. Both of them were critically ill patients and admitted for treatment in the Stroke Unit at Khon Kaen Hospital. Both of them had thrombotic stroke. The first patient had diabetes and high blood pressure. The second patient was an elderly person with the habits of smoking and drinking alcohol. The hospital stay of the second patient was longer than the first patient.