Assessment of the experience of Saudi emergency medical services personnel with acute stroke. On-scene stroke identification, triaging, and dispatch of acute stroke patients.

Objective: To assess the knowledge, experience, and the impact of seniority of Saudi emergency services (EMS) personnel in dealing with acute stroke patients.

Methods: We conducted this cross-sectional survey using a 3-part structured questionnaire involving 102 EMS personnel in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between October and December 2011. We assessed participants` demographic factors, their ability to identify cardinal symptoms of stroke, use of assessment tools, knowledge of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), and dispatch of patients.

Results: The mean age of participants was 27.6 (+/-4.5) years. Approximately half of the group had experience of up to 2 years. Six percent of participants were not aware of any stroke symptoms, and only 3% identified 5 or more correct symptoms. None of the participants used any stroke specific assessment tools. Around 98% of participants dispatched patients to the nearest hospitals without taking into account availability of stroke treatment facilities. Only 6% of the participants were aware of t-PA and its use in stroke care.

Conclusion: Most of the EMS personnel lacked knowledge of the cardinal stroke symptoms, t-PA`s principal uses, and its therapeutic time window. Training opportunities coupled with the implementation of screening tools, stroke triage, and dispatch protocols are urgently required.