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Table 2 Vignette content

From: Receptionist rECognition and rEferral of PaTients with Stroke (RECEPTS) study - protocol of a mixed methods study

ID Brain territory of stroke Who called Vignette details* Symptoms (no. FAST symptoms) Perceived ease of recognition^
1 Anterior Adult child I think my Mom’s having a stroke: Facial droop (right side), right arm weakness and speech disturbance (3 FAST symptoms) Easy
 • Her mouth is drooping
 • Her speech is slurred
 • She can’t use her right arm
2 Anterior Patient I think I need to see the Doctor: Arm weakness (1 FAST symptom) Difficult
 • My arm’s gone all weak
3 Posterior Patient I don’t know what to do: Vomiting, vertigo and visual field defect (0 FAST symptoms) Difficult
 • I keep throwing up
 • I’m feverish
 • I have double vision
4 Anterior Patient I’m not sure what to do: Facial droop (left side) (1 FAST symptom) Moderately easy
 • When I look in the mirror my reflection looks funny
5 Posterior Patient What shall I do I think I’m having a stroke? Vomiting, vertigo and visual field defect (0 FAST symptoms) Difficult
 • I’ve thrown up
 • The room is spinning
 • I have double vision
6 Anterior Adult child Do you think my Father needs to see the Doctor? Right arm weakness and speech disturbance (2 FAST symptoms) Easy
 • He’s having difficulty speaking
 • He can’t lift his arm up
7 Anterior Patient I think I need to see the Doctor my Daughter tells me that: Facial droop (left side) and arm weakness (2 FAST symptoms) Moderately easy
 • My face is all droopy (left side)
 • I keep dropping things
8 Anterior Adult child Can I make an appointment for my Father? Facial droop (right side) and speech disturbance (2 FAST symptoms) Easy
 • His face is all lopsided (right side)
 • He’s having trouble speaking
9 Anterior Adult child I think my Mom needs to see the Doctor: Speech disturbance (1 FAST symptom) Moderately easy
 • Her speech is all slurred
10 Anterior Adult child Shall I bring my Mother in to see the Doctor? Facial droop (right side), right arm weakness and speech disturbance (3 FAST symptoms) Easy
 • She can’t use her right arm
 • She keeps dropping things
 • Her face is really funny (right side)
     • She’s talking a load of rubbish   
  1. *If probed, symptoms were described as being ongoing and of having had a sudden onset within two hours of the telephone call.
  2. ^Probability of recognising symptoms was defined by an expert panel consisting of 5 clinicians, 6 receptionists (not otherwise involved in the study) and 2 stroke survivors.
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BMC Primary Care

ISSN: 2731-4553

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