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May 13, 2005
Nurse touts Sunrise Hospital stroke program
By BREANNE HUBBARD Debbie Estes, RN and BSN at Sunrise Hospital, appeared at the town board meeting to make a presentation on strokes to the public. Sunrise is known in Southern Nevada for its stroke center. "We are doing great things at Sunrise," she said. Estes had packets on the back table of the Bob Ruud Community Center in an effort to inform the public on warning signs for stroke, among other facts. The idea of a presentation formulated while Estes was visiting the Pahrump Senior Center. She has been coming to the valley for five months, but only recently found out about the future Desert View Regional Medical Center, slated to open February 2006. Estes feels it is her duty in the medical field to alert citizens of the opportunities they have, whether in Las Vegas or in Pahrump. But, the time for a hospital in the valley will appear soon and Estes urges residents to maintain hope. "Keep your patience in this small town as best as you possibly can," she said. "(The hospital) will meet your initial needs in this town," Estes said. Without the hospital, Estes said the valley isn't suffering as much as it could. "You are quite fortunate in this town. You have a great EMS system," she said. She's also impressed with the working relationship between Pahrump Valley Fire-Rescue Service and Mercy Air. Getting back on track to strokes, Estes informed audience members there are two kinds of strokes: ischemic and hemorrhagic. Eight years ago, Estes said, there wasn't medicine for strokes dealing with blood clots. In order for any hospital to take care of a stroke patient, Estes said the seven D's need to be done: detection, dispatch, delivery, door, data, decision and drug therapy. Seventy-five percent of strokes can be prevented through risk factor identification, Estes said. There's an easy way to recognize signs and symptoms. The method is called the Cincinnati pre-hospital stroke scale. If someone might be having a stroke, ask him or her to smile and show teeth, repeat name and the arm drift test (pick up the arm and move it slowly). "Any one of the three, you may be having a stroke," Estes said. The handout included diagrams on what a person will look like if having a stroke. Although Pahrump will get its own hospital, Estes said education would still be needed. She hopes Pahrump won't forget Sunrise and what the stroke center can provide for residents. |
