Kara Snider, Charge RN in the North Arkansas Regional Medical Center (NARMC) Emergency Department, was recognized with an AR SAVES Excellence Award this fall for her stellar care of a possible stroke patient. AR SAVES (Stroke Assistance through Virtual Emergency Support) is a telemedicine program that links emergency rooms across Arkansas to stroke neurologists via a live, two-way video so that patients can receive stroke care 24 hours a day.
Kara and her teammates recognized the signs of a possible stroke in a patient in the Emergency Room and activated the AR SAVES protocol quickly. She made sure that the intake sheet was complete, a CT scan was done, lab work was run and the video equipment for the telemedicine call was all properly in place. In a mere 22 minutes, the patient went from the door of the ER to being connected to AR SAVES, just under the target of 25 minutes.
“Kara did a perfect exam,” noted the AR SAVES team. “The team did a great job of hustling on this patient. The room setup was perfect, information ready, and all within a 22-minute door-to-calling AR SAVES time.”
NARMC is one of 54 AR SAVES sites across the state, and the Emergency Department has earned Site Excellence Awards for two consecutive years for their commitment to timely stroke care. Only three out of 54 hospitals in the state met the criteria for Site Excellence Award in 2018.
“I’m honored to receive this award, but this was a team effort. Our leaders really prepare us for success with AR SAVES,” said Snider. “We do mock drills and online training to keep our skills sharp so that when possible stroke patients arrive, we know exactly what to do to get them the care they need as soon as possible.”
Lauren Elliot, ER Quality Follow-Up RN and AR SAVES Nurse Coordinator, presented Kara (right) with her certificate.