Training speech-language pathology graduate clinicians to administer the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale

Abstract

Aims The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) is an 11-item assessment measuring the severity of an individual's stroke. Though neurologists, emergency room physicians, nurses, occupational therapists and physical therapists have completed the certification process for NIHSS administration, no study to date has examined whether speech-language pathologists (SLPs), or those in training, can be certified to administer the NIHSS. The aim of this study was to examine whether SLP graduate student-clinicians could be certified to administer the NIHSS. Methods Twenty student clinicians achieved Group A certification from the NIHSS training DVD, then were subsequently tested on NIHSS scoring for six patient vignettes from Group B of the training DVD. Findings No student achieved certification for the Group B patients. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that basic NIHSS training is not sufficient to ensure certification. In addition, the minimum requirements for NIHSS certification may not be adequate for any individual to reliably and accurately administer the scale. Measures to facilitate certification are discussed, including the need for extensive clinical exposure to stroke patients.