County councils in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent and Queen Anne’s recently presented proclamations to University of Maryland Shore Regional Health’s Stroke Committee. The proclamations designated these counties as “Stroke Smart” counties. (Talbot County issued a Stroke Smart proclamation in May 2024.)
“One of the main goals of the Stroke Smart initiative is to increase public awareness of stroke signs and symptoms and the importance of calling 911,” said Nicole Leonard, BSN, RN, Stroke Coordinator for UM SRH. These Stroke Smart proclamations reinforce our shared commitment to that.”
Rena Sukhdeo Singh, MD, Medical Director of the Primary Stroke Center at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton, has worked with local governments in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties to obtain these proclamations since early winter 2024.
“We are extremely excited to have received Stroke Smart proclamations for all five of the counties our hospital system serves,” said Dr. Singh. “This is a big accomplishment for our dedicated stroke team, our emergency medical services partners and our communities. These proclamations symbolize our commitment to providing stroke education to our communities, including symptoms, risk factors and what to do in the event of a potential stroke.”
As part of the Stroke Smart initiative, SRH nursing team members will train community members throughout the five-county region served by UM SRH to identify the signs and symptoms of a stroke and activate EMS by calling 911 at the first sign of a stroke. The focus of that training will be stroke identification and prevention, how to prevent a repeat stroke event, rehabilitation, how to move forward after a stroke and caregiver support of a loved one following a stroke.
“Early identification is key to preventing the long-term effects of a stroke. Our nursing team members are excited to get out into our communities and provide stroke identification education within public school curricula, nursing homes, community and senior centers, churches, and other places where people gather and get information,” said Danielle Wilson, MSN, BSN, NE-BC, Chief Nursing Officer and Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services. “We thank our local governments and community members for this opportunity to provide stroke identification education and additional support to the region we serve.”
UM Shore Medical Center at Easton is designated as a Primary Stroke Center by the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS.) The Center treats an average of 400-plus patients per year.
In 2023, the State of Maryland created the Maryland is a Stroke Smart State video highlighting the Stroke Smart initiative, which features Dr. Sukhdeo Singh and Caroline County EMS. There also is a resource page on the MIEMSS website where you can find more information: Stroke Smart Resource Center.