Bed rest or mobilization after rt-PA? A case-crossover study of factors influencing clinical decision making in stroke services

Abstract

Background: Acute stroke management is a dynamic field. Treatment with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator is standard care in Australia, but there are no evidence-based practice guidelines about first out of bed activity (mobilization) after recombinant tissue plasminogen activator. Aims: To identify factors influencing clinicians' decisions to delay or allow mobilization. Methods: Case-crossover design. Using hypothetical case vignettes, we explored the factors that clinicians consider when deciding to first mobilize a patient after recombinant tissue plasminogen activator. Acute stroke physicians and nurses from Australian hospitals known to treat with recombinant tissue plasminogen ..