This page is still under development. We plan to post all pdf files for guidelines and articles which are public domain.

If you have useful information to share - for professionals or for general public use - please email james.peacock@state.mn.us.

Stroke Resources

** NEW ** EMS Response to Stroke Continuing Education Course
The Minnesota Stroke Partnership’s EMS Stroke Task Force has developed a unique training course focused on the role of EMTs and paramedics in stroke diagnosis and treatment. The EMS Response to Stroke continuing education course will improve EMS providers’ knowledge of current practices for recognition and treatment of stroke signs and symptoms in patients.

EMS Response to Stroke is a FREE one-hour course worth 1.0 Continuing Education Units (CEU) for EMTs and Paramedics in Minnesota. After completing the course online you will receive a Certificate of Completion.

The course is presented by Craig Rees, MS, NREMT-P, and Kari Olson, RN, CNRN.

Craig has been working in EMS for over 20 years. His experience ranges from rural communities to high volume urban communities. He also spent time working as a flight medic. He has been providing education to EMS providers throughout his entire career. In an effort to improve the quality of education he was providing, he completed a Masters Degree in Experiential Education.

Kari is a certified Neuroscience Nurse with the Stroke and Neurosciences Program at Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina, Minnesota.  She has 20 years of experience working with stroke patients from bedside nursing to various administrative and clinical roles.  Kari provides education and support for hospital staff, patients, families and community partners. Kari obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from Minnesota State University- Mankato and is currently pursuing her Master’s Degree in Nursing from the University of Minnesota. 

Click here to take the EMS Response to Stroke continuing education course. The 1 hour presentation video must be viewed on a high-speed internet connection using Internet Explorer.

** NEW ** Stroke Awareness and Education Resource Toolkit
This toolkit was created in 2009 as a resource guide for health educators to increase awareness of the signs and symptoms of stroke. It summarizes the free and fee-based materials available on the web and in print, and provides ideas for starting a stroke education campaign in your community. The toolkit includes direct links to websites with further information and materials, including those in other languages. We welcome your feedback on ways to improve this tool. Please click here to download the toolkit (pdf format).

** NEW ** Primary Stroke Center Map
A map of Joint Commission-certified Primary Stroke Centers in Minnesota and bordering areas of adjacent states is available by clicking here. A full list of Primary Stroke Centers is also available at the Joint Commission's website, www.qualitycheck.org.

Stroke and Risk Factor Education Materials in Many Languages
Health Information Translations
Print education materials on Stroke, High Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, Atrial Fibrillation, and dozens of other topics are available in more than a dozen languages, including English, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese. In addition, there are Windows Media Files for Stroke, High Blood Pressure and Cholesterol in American Sign Language. Created by the Ohio State University Medical Center, Ohio Health, the Mount Carmel Foundation, and Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

Hmong Language Stroke Education Materials
Healthy Roads Media
Print, multimedia, and audio education materials in Hmong, created in a collaboration with HmongHealth.org and funds from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, and the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Stroke Survivor Resources
National Stroke Association Online Resource Directory
Sponsored by the National Stroke Association, this online directory provides a listing of services for stroke survivors and caregivers.

MedLine Plus Go Local Minnesota Health Resource Directory
Co-sponsored by the University of Minnesota, Mayo Clinic, National Institutes of Health, and the National Library of Medicine, this online directory provides a listing of health and medical services in Minnesota, including for stroke.

Caregiver Resources
This stroke rehabilitation education handout, "Caregiver Tips for Working with a Stroke Survivor", was created in partnership with the Minnesota Stroke Association, and is available in English, Russian, Somali and Hmong.

Stroke Care Guidelines

Comprehensive Overview of Nursing and Interdisciplinary Care of the Acute Ischemic Stroke Patient: a Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Summers D et al. Stroke. 2009; 40(8):2911-2944.

Guide to the care of the hospitalized patient with ischemic stroke, 2nd ed. American Association of Neuroscience Nurses Clinical Practice Guideline Series: 2009.

Stroke, Ischemic, Diagnosis and Initial Treatment Guidelines (including order sets) developed by the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI).

Primary Prevention of Ischemic Stroke. A Statement for Healthcare Professionals From a Special Writing Group of the Stroke Council, American Heart Association. Goldstein LB et al. Circulation. 2001; 103:163-182.

Guidelines for the Management of Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage. A Statement for Healthcare Professionals From a Special Writing Group of the Stroke Council, American Heart Association. Broderick JP et al. Stroke. 1999; 30:905-915.

Recommendations for the Management of Patients with Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms. A Statement for Healthcare Professionals From a Special Writing Group of the Stroke Council, American Heart Association. Bederson JB et al. Circulation. 2000; 102:2300-2308.

Anticoagulants and Antiplatelet Agents in Acute Ischemic Stroke. Report of the Joint Stroke Guideline Development Committee of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Stroke Association (a Division of the American Heart Association). Coull BM et al. Stroke . 2002; 33:1934-1942.

Recommendations for the Endovascular Treatment of Intracranial Aneurysms. A Statement for Healthcare Professionals from the Committee on Cerebrovascular Imaging of the American Heart Association Council on Cardiovascular Radiology. Johnston SC et al. Stroke . 2002;33:2536-2544.

Guidelines and Recommendations for Perfusion Imaging in Cerebral Ischemia. A Scientific Statement for Healthcare Professionals by the Writing Group on Perfusion Imaging, From the Council on Cariovascular Radiology of the American Heart Association. Latchaw RE et al. Stroke. 2003;34:1084-1104.

Guidelines for the Early Management of Patients with Ischemic Stroke. A Scientific Statement From the Stroke Council of the American Stroke Association. Adams HP et al. Stroke. 2003;34:1056-1083.

Recommendations for Stroke Systems of Care
Recommendations for the Establishment of Stroke Systems of Care. Recommendations From the American Stroke Association's Task Force on the Development of Stroke Systems. Schwamm LH, et al. Circulation. 2005; 111(8):1079-1091.

Recommendations for the Establishment of Primary Stroke Centers. Alberts MJ, et al. JAMA. 2000; 283:3102-3109.

Recommendations for Comprehensive Stroke Centers. A Consensus Statement from the Brain Attack Coalition. Alberts MJ, et al. Stroke. 2005; 36(7):1597-1618.

Recommendations for the Implementation of Telemedicine Within Stroke Systems of Care. A Policy Statement From the American Heart Association. Schwamm LH, et al. Stroke. 2009.