Introducing the NIHSS in the emergency services

Karianne Larsen, MD, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway, & Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, presents the findings of a prospective cohort study assessing the introduction of the NIH stroke scale (NIHSS) in the prehospital care system. The NIHSS is extensively used to assess patient status upon hospital arrival, yet paramedics instead use numerous modified prehospital scales that are less well validated. By introducing its use in the prehospital setting, a common language would be used throughout the stroke care chain. More than 60 paramedics were trained and certified in NIHSS, and the prehospital NIHSS scores were compared to those obtained by in-hospital stroke physicians. There was acceptable agreement between the scores and time was not significantly increased compared with paramedics using the FAST scale. This interview took place at the ESOC 2022 congress in Lyon, France.