Effect of Nurse's detection of neurological deterioration on the prognosis of patients with acute cerebral infarction

Introduction: There is little evidence about the factors related to the detection of neurological deterioration by nurses. We examined the related factors and therapeutic outcomes of nurses' detections of patient's neurological deterioration. Methods: This was a descriptive retrospective study. We included 549 adult stroke patients who were admitted to the acute stroke unit of a tertiary hospital between May 2018 and December 2019 and had changes in neurological symptoms that were detected by stroke nurses. We measured the following outcomes: stroke lesion progression, early neurological deterioration (increase in the total national institutes of health stroke scale score of 2 points or more, increase in the limb weakness score of 1 point or more, or decrease in the alertness score of 1 point or more), and additional clinical management (increasing intravenous fluids, diagnostic imaging, or neurointervention). Data was analyzed by logistic regression. Results: A total of 651 new or aggravating symptoms were detected by nurses. The most detected symptom was motor aggravations (49.2 %). Symptoms were commonly detected during the day shift (51.0 %) and by scheduled neurochecks (71.3 %). Of 132 patients who underwent diagnostic imaging by nurses' detection, 63.6 % cases had stroke lesion progression. Nursing experience over 4 years was positively associated with finding stroke lesion progression (OR: 2.49, 95 % CI = 1.09-5.67). Early neurological deterioration was found in 70.7 %, and it was significantly higher during scheduled neurochecks (OR:2.65, 95 % CI = 1.04-6.72) and in the group of large artery atherosclerosis (OR: 2.19, 95 % CI = 1.06-4.49) Additional clinical management was provided to 49.9 % of detection, and scheduled neurocheks (OR: 4.76, 95 % CI = 2.18-10.39) and changes of alertness (OR: 2.89, 96 % CI = 1.51-5.26) were the significant factors. Conclusion: Stroke nurses were able to detect a large number of stroke lesion progression and early neurological deterioration as well as to provide additional clinical management. Systematic guidelines for qualification of stroke nurses may be beneficial.