CAMAF Member Option Guides & Info

Netcare 911 Safety Guide

Issue link: https://www.hub.camaf.co.za/i/1487724

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 7 of 13

Know the signs of a stroke Know the symptoms of a stroke by using the acronym BE FAST to identify a stroke; balance, eyes, face, arms, speech and time. It could save your life or someone else's! Be fast Balance – sudden difficulty maintaining balance. Eyes – loss of sight in one eye or blurry vision. Face drooping – weak facial muscles often cause one side of the face to droop. Arm or leg weakness – weakness in one or more arms or legs and possible numbness down one side of the body. Speech difficulty – slurred words, the use of incorrect words or no ability to speak at all. Time - In an emergency every second counts. Call Netcare 911 on 082 911. Alternatively, tap the Netcare 911 button on the Netcare App for immediate medical assistance to get to the hospital immediately. Cincinnati pre-hospital stroke scale 1. Facial droop: Have patient show teeth or smile. 2. Arms drift: Patient closes eyes and holds both arms out for 10 seconds. Normal: both sides of the face move equally. 3. Abnormal speech: Have the patient say "you can't teach an old dog new tricks." Normal: patient uses correct words with no slurring Abnormal: patient slurs words, uses the wrong words, or is unable to speak Normal: both arms move the same of both arms do not move at all. Abnormal: one side of face does not move as well as the other side. Abnormal: one arms does not move or drifts down compared to the other. The Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale is a system used to diagnose a potential stroke in a pre-hospital setting. It tests three signs for abnormal findings which may indicate that the patient is having a stroke. If any one of the three tests shows abnormal findings, the patient may be having a stroke and should be transported to a Netcare hospital as soon as possible. Interpretation: If any one of these three signs is abnormal, the probability of a stroke is 72%. Need emergency medical assistance? Call Netcare 911 on 082 911 or download the Netcare app Download on the Get it on Explore it on

Articles in this issue

view archives of CAMAF Member Option Guides & Info - Netcare 911 Safety Guide