The Northwestern Ontario Regional Stroke Network recently hosted Provincial Stroke Rounds on Dec 1^st. The topic was inspired by what our clinicians are seeing in practice. As we continue within the global pandemic, the last 2 years overall there has been a large increase in substance use. This increase also aligned around the same time at marijuana was legalized and sold in our Region.

In Ontario, approximately 10% of the population uses substances problematically. The increasing use of some illicit drugs among people living in Northern Ontario regions represents a public health issue (ex: up to 10 times more patients per 100,000 people are in methadone maintenance treatment in North West region compared to central regions in Ontario).

This topic brings up an ethical dilemma in health care, especially in stroke care. Canadian Stroke Best Practices simply states patients should be counseled to discontinue use. Yet in circumstances where patients choice to continue to use substances how can we support, counsel and create a safe, bias free environment which truly puts the patient at the center of their care.

This education session also brought to the light the lack of standardized screening for substance use in patients who have experienced stroke provincially. Please enjoy our dynamic panelist discuss the understudied world of stroke and substance use and provide tips on how clinicians can support a patients with the will to choice.

Presentation: Risky Behavious Post Stroke: How Can We Support? 

Presenters: Christina Johnson, Martina Nuttall and Michelle Allain

View the power point slides, click here.

View the presentation here: Provincial Stroke Rounds Presented Dec 1st Recording

Password: Dec12021

Kristina Visser, RN, MSN/NE; Clinical Nurse Specialist, Northwestern Ontario Regional Stroke Network

References provided in the presentation