Carroll County Memorial Hospital announces that its Emergency Department is both STEMI and Stroke certified.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) Time Critical Diagnosis Unit recently certified CCMH as Level IV STEMI (ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction) Center. CCMH has held a Level IV Stroke designation for over two years and continues to strive to provide quality care.
“Our Emergency Department has worked hard implementing the current standards of care to achieve this designation and to provide the most up to date stabilizing measures while preparing patients for transfer to a higher level of care,” said Deborah Smith, CCMH Director of Emergency Services.
According to the Missouri DHSS, the Time Critical Diagnosis System with a sustained effort by partners throughout the state will improve health outcomes for Missourians who suffer acute trauma, stroke, or ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction through the Time Critical Diagnosis system.
A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted. While a stroke is occurring, it is referred to as the acute phase of a stroke. Brain cells in the immediate area begin to die because they stop getting the oxygen and nutrients they need to function. As brain cells die, abilities controlled by that area of the brain are impaired. The impact of a stroke ranges from mild to severe and can include paralysis and impairments of function such as speech, movement, and memory. Specific abilities lost or affected depend on the location of the stroke in the brain and the amount of damage the stroke caused.
Signs and symptoms of a Stroke:
- Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
- Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or lack of coordination
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause
A ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) is a type of heart attack. Heart disease, including STEMI, is the leading cause of death in Missouri. Specific therapies, administered to STEMI patients within 90 minutes of symptoms, have proven to reduce mortality and disability. The more time that passes before blood flow is restored, the more damage that is done to the heart muscle.
Signs and symptoms of a STEMI:
- Chest pain or discomfort.
- Shortness of breath.
- Dizziness or light-headedness.
- Nausea or vomiting.
- Diaphoresis (sweatiness) unexplained by ambient temperature.
- Palpitations (uncomfortable awareness of the heartbeat).
- Anxiety or a feeling of impending doom.
CCMH Emergency Department Nurses hold a Trauma Nursing Core Course certification from the Emergency Nurses Association. The TNCC certification course establishes a standardized body of trauma knowledge and improves the care of all trauma patients.
CCMH Providers hold Advanced Trauma Life Support certification from the American College of Surgeons. ATLS is a program that teaches a systematic, concise approach to the care of trauma patients. ATLS is widely accepted as the standard of care for initial assessment and treatment in trauma patients.
“Congratulations to STEMI Coordinator Deborah Smith, STEMI committee members and the entire CCMH Staff for your dedication to providing the highest quality healthcare to our community,” said Cindy Gilman, BSN, RN, CCMH Chief Nursing Officer.
For more information about the services at Carroll County Memorial Hospital, visit our website http://www.carrollcountyhospital.org or call 660-542-1695.
