QASC publications

Peer-reviewed journal articles

Middleton S, McElduff P, Drury P, D’Este C, Cadilhac DA, Dale S, Grimshaw JM, Ward J, Quinn C, Cheung NW & Levi C. Vital sign monitoring following stroke associated with 90-day independence: A secondary analysis of the qasc cluster randomized trial. International Journal of Nursing Studies. 2019;89:72-79

Middleton S, Bruch D, Martinez-Garduno C, Dale S, McNamara M. International Uptake of a Proven Intervention to Reduce Death and Dependency in Acute Stroke: A Cross-Sectional Survey Following the QASC Trial. Worldviews Evidence Based Nursing 2017.

Middleton S, Coughlan K, Mnatzaganian G, Low Choy N, Dale S, Jammali-Blasi A, Levi C, Grimshaw JM, Ward J, Cadilhac, DA, McElduff P, Hiller JE, D’Este C. Mortality Reduction for Fever, Hyperglycemia, and Swallowing Nurse-Initiated Stroke Intervention. Stroke 2017; 48(4): 1331-6.

Dale S, Levi C, Ward J, Grimshaw JM, Jammali‐Blasi A, D'Este C, , Griffiths R, Quinn C, Evans M, Cadilhac D, Cheung NW, Middleton S. Barriers and Enablers to Implementing Clinical Treatment Protocols for Fever, Hyperglycaemia, and Swallowing Dysfunction in the Quality in Acute Stroke Care (QASC) Project—A Mixed Methods Study. Worldviews on Evidence‐Based Nursing. 2015;12(1):41-50.

Drury P, Levi C, D'Este C, McElduff P, McInnes E, Hardy J, et al. Quality in Acute Stroke Care (QASC): process evaluation of an intervention to improve the management of fever, hyperglycemia, and swallowing dysfunction following acute stroke. International Journal of Stroke. 2014;9:766-76.

Drury P, Levi C, McInnes L, Hardy J, Ward J, Grimshaw J, D’Este C, Dale S, McElduff P, Cheung W, Quinn C, Griffiths R, Evans M, Cadhilac D, Middleton S. Management of fever, hyperglycaemia and swallowing dysfunction following hospital admission for acute stroke in New South Wales, Australia. International Journal of Stroke. 2014;9(1):23-31.

Middleton S. Keeping It Simple: The power of three clinical protocols. Invited Editorial. Journal of Clinical Nursing 2012; 21, 3195–3197.

Middleton S. Doing the Simple Things Well. Invited Editorial. Collegian 2012; 19, 65-66. 

Middleton S. An outcomes approach to stroke care: the importance of teamwork and evidence‐based nursing care. Leading Opinion. International Journal of Stroke. 2012;7(3):224-6.

Middleton S, McElduff P, Ward J, Grimshaw JM, Dale S, D'Este C, Drury P, Griffiths R, Cheung NW, Quinn C, Evans M, Cadilhac D & Levi C. Implementation of evidence-based treatment protocols to manage fever, hyperglycaemia, and swallowing dysfunction in acute stroke (QASC): a cluster randomised controlled trial. The Lancet. 2011;378 (9804):1699-706.2

Middleton S, Levi C, D’Este C, Dale S, Griffiths R, Grimshaw J, Ward J, Evans M, Quinn C, Cadilhac D. Death, dependency and health status 90-days following stroke in NSW: Preliminary results from the Quality in Acute Stroke Care (QASC) Project. Internal Medicine Journal. 2011; 41(10) 736-743

Jammali-Blasi A, McInnes E, Markus R, Faux S, O’Loughlin G, Dale S, Middleton S. 90-day outcomes for a cohort of patients admitted to a metropolitan acute stroke unit. Journal of Vascular Nursing 2011; 29(1): 3-10. 

Middleton, S., C. Levi, J. Ward, J. Grimshaw, R. Griffiths, C. D'Este, S. Dale, W. Cheung, C. Quinn, M. Evans and D. Cadilhac. Fever, hyperglycaemia and swallowing dysfunction management in acute stroke: A cluster randomised controlled trial of knowledge transfer.  Implementation Science 2009; 4(1) p. 16

Letters to the editor

Middleton S, Lyons N. In reply - Stroke care in Australia: why is it still the poor cousin of health care? Letter to the Editor. MJA 2013; 199 (3): 166.

Middleton S, D'Este C, Grimshaw J, Ward JE, Levi C. Team-building intervention to improve acute stroke care – Authors' reply. The Lancet. 2012;379(9824):1390.

Middleton S, Levi C, Ward J. QASC trial: swallow surveillance rates comparable with international data. The Lancet. 2012;379(9824):1389.

Middleton, S., Levi, C., & Dale, S. (2008). Arrival Time to Stroke Unit as Crucial a Measure as Arrival Time to Emergency Department. Stroke, 39(1), 5.

Commentaries

Commentary also published in The Lancet. See:
Wolfe CD, Rudd AG. Improvement of care in acute stroke units. Lancet. 2011 Nov 12;378(9804):1679-80.

Published in Faculty 1000 (F1000) Library as a result of post-publication peer review which places this work in the library of the top 2% of published articles in biology and medicine available at http://f1000.com/13399002.

Commentary published in Annals of Internal Medicine. See:
Alberts MJ. Targeting management of fever, hyperglycemia, and swallowing improved outcomes in acute stroke. Ann Intern Med. 2012;156(3).

Published abstracts

Purvis P, Middleton S, Craig L, Kilkenny M, Dale S, Hill K, D’Este C, Cadilhac D. Greater adherence in fever, hyperglycaemia, and swallowing (fess) management for patients with acute stroke across Australia: An observational study. International Journal of Stroke. 2018;13:3-48

Dale S, Middleton S, Lydtin A, Comerford D, Hill K, Longworth M, McElduff P, D’Este C, Cadilhac D. The Quality in Acute Stroke Care (QASC) Implementation Project: State-wide evidence to practice translation. International Journal of Stroke. 2015, 10 (Supl 2)198

Martinez C, Middleton S, Dale S, Bruch D. After QASC: Why do clinicians download the QASC
fever, sugar, swallowing protocols and implementation resources? . International Journal of Stroke. 2014; 9 (S2) 17

Lydtin A, Dale S, Longworth M, Hill K, Katalinic E, Tinsley M, Comerford D, Ryan F, Quinn C, Patterson S, Grimshaw J, Middleton S, On behalf of the QASC Working Group and Steering Committee. The QASC Implementation Project: Upscale and spread of evidence based results across NSW. International Journal of Stroke. 2014; 9 (S2) 9

Coughlan KA, Middleton S, Mnatzaganian G, Jammali-Blasi A, Dale S, DEste C, Hiller J, Courtney M, Low Choy N, On behalf of QASC Survivorship Collaborative. Quality in Acute Stroke Care trial mortality status at 5–10 year follow-up: Agreement between NSW state and national death registries. International Journal of Stroke. 2014; 9 (S2) 17

Middleton S, Coughlan K, Mnatzaganian G, Jammali-Blasi A, Dale S, DEste C, Hiller J, Courtney M, Low Choy NL. Feasibility of long term follow-up of quality in acute stroke care trial participants: An evaluation of data linkage from state and national death registries. International Journal of Stroke. 2014; 9(S1) 44

Middleton S, Comerford D, Lydtin A, Dale S, Cadilhac D, DEste C, McElduff P, Hill K, Cheung NW, Levi C, Longworth M, Ward J, Quinn C, On behalf of the QASC Implementation Working Group and Steering Committee. The Quality in Acute Stroke Care (QASC) Implementation Project: ‘To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often’ Winston Churchill. International Journal of Stroke. 2014; 9(S1) 18

D Bruch, S Middleton, C Martinez-Garduno, S Dale. Beyond QASC: An evaluation of the international uptake of the QASC fever, sugar, swallowing protocols and implementation resources. Cerebrovascular Diseases. 2014, 37 (Suppl 1) 325

Middleton S, Bruch D, Dale S, Martinez C. After QASC: International uptake of the QASC fever, sugar, swallowing protocols. International Journal of Stroke. 2014; 9(S1) 13

S Middleton, D Comerford, A Lydtin, S Dale, K Hill, J Dunne, C D’Este, M Longworth, E Katalinic, M Tinsley, C Quinn, D Cadilhac, W Cheung, C Levi. The QASC Implementation Project: Implementing evidence based care in stroke services throughout NSW, Australia. Cerebrovascular Diseases. 2014, 37 (Suppl 1) 325

Drury P, Middleton S, McInnes L, Dale S, J. H. Nurse unit managers views of organisational barriers and enablers within New South Wales stroke units liable to influence evidence-based practice. International Journal of Stroke. 2013; 8(S1):25.

Middleton S on behalf of QASC Implementation Project Team. Translating evidence from research into the real world: Upscale and spread of a successful intervention. HNE Handover for Nurses and Midwives 2013; 6 (1).

S Middleton, D Comerford, J Dunne, CR Levi, C Quinn, DA Cadilhac, S Dale, M Longworth, S Wutze, M Tinsley. Quality in Acute Stroke Care (QASC) NSW state-wide implementation project. International Journal of Stroke. 2013;8(S2) 47

Drury P, McInnes L, Hardy J, Dale S, Middleton S. Organisational influences on evidence-based practice (EBP) within New South Wales acute stroke units. International Journal of Stroke. 2013;8(S2), 1–34

Middleton S, Drury P, Levi C, D'Este C, McElduff P, Dale S, Evans M, Quinn C, Cadilhac DA, Wah Cheung N. What processes of clinical care are associated with 90-day survival and independence? Results from the Quality in Acute Stroke Care QASC Trial. International Journal of Stroke. 2012;7(S1):25.

Drury P, Quinn C, McInnes E, Hardy J, Dale S, Middleton S. Implementation of an evidence-based treatment protocol to manage dysphagia in acute stroke: QASC, a cluster randomised controlled trial. International Journal of Stroke. 2012;7(S1):25.

Middleton S, Drury P, Levi C, D’Este C, McElduff P, Dale S, Griffiths R, Grimshaw J, Ward J, Evans M, Quinn C, Cadilhac D, Cheung NW. The Quality in Acute Stroke Care (QASC) Trial: Processes of care associated with 90-day survival and independence. Cerebrovascular Diseases. 2012; 33 (S2): 130.

Middleton S, Ward J, Grimshaw J, Griffiths R, D’Este C, Dale S, Drury P, Cheung NW, Quinn C, Evans M, Cadilhac D, McElduff P, Levi C. Does a team base knowledge transfer intervention to manage fever, hyperglycaemia and swallowing dysfunction, improve 90-day outcomes following stroke? Stroke 2011; 42: 587.

Plenary Presentation Awarded Top Breakthroughs Co-Chairs’ Award for Impact
Middleton S, Dale S, Levi C, Ward J, Grimshaw J, Griffiths R, D'Este C. Barriers and enablers to implementing protocols for fever, hyperglycaemia and swallowing dysfunction in acute stroke. Stroke 2011; 42: 623.

Dale S, Levi C, D’Este C, Griffiths R, Grimshaw J, Ward J, Middleton S. Maximising uptake of clinical protocols to manage fever, hyperglycaemia and swallowing in acute stroke: Assessing barriers and enablers. International Journal of Stroke. 2011; 1, 6, S1:13.

Middleton S, Levi C, D’Este C, Drury P, Dale S, Griffiths R, Grimshaw J, Ward J, Evans M, Quinn C, Cadilhac D, Cheung W, McElduff P The QASC Cluster Randomised Controlled trial of a team-based intervention to improve management of fever, hyperglycaemia and swallowing dysfunction in acute stroke: Patient 90-day outcomes. Cerebrovascular Diseases 2011 Vol 31 (suppl 2)

Drury P, Levi C, D’Este C, Dale S, Griffiths R, Grimshaw J, Ward J, Evans M, Quinn C, Cadilhac D, Cheung W, McElduff P, McInnes E, Hardy J, Middleton S. The QASC Cluster Randomised Controlled trial of an intervention to improve management of fever, hyperglycaemia and swallowing dysfunction in acute stroke: Did clinician behaviour change? Cerebrovascular Diseases 2011 Vol 31 (suppl 2)

Dale S, Middleton S, Levi C, D’Este C, Griffiths R, Grimshaw J, Ward J Challenges of a large cluster randomised controlled trial: Barriers and enablers to implementing protocols for fever, hyperglycaemia and swallowing dysfunction in the Quality in Acute Stroke (QASC) Project. Cerebrovascular Diseases 2011 Vol 31 (suppl 2)

Middleton S, Ward J, Grimshaw J, Griffiths R, D’Este C, Dale S, Drury P, Cheung NW, Quinn C, Evans M, Cadilhac D, McElduff P, Levi C. Does a team base knowledge transfer intervention to manage fever, hyperglycaemia and swallowing dysfunction, improve 90-day outcomes following stroke? Stroke. 2011; 42, 587

Middleton S, Dale S, Levi C, D’Este C, Griffiths R, Grimshaw J, Ward J. Barriers and enablers to implementing protocols for fever, hyperglycaemia and swallowing dysfunction in acute stroke. Stroke. 2011; 42, e637

Jammali-Blasi A, McInnes E, Markus R, Faux S, O’Loughlin G, Dale S, Middleton S, Death, dependency, disability and health status of stroke patients 90-days post acute stroke unit care. International Journal of Stroke. 2010; 5; S1: 12.

Drury P, Levi C, Griffiths R, Ward J, Grimshaw J, D’Este C, Cheung W, McElduff P, Hardy J, McInnes E, Middleton S. Routine practices for fever, hyperglycaemia and dysphagia management in NSW acute stroke units. International Journal of Stroke. 2010; 5; S1: 26

Middleton S, Levi C, D’Este C, Dale S, Griffiths R, Grimshaw J, Ward J, Evans M, Quinn C, Cadilhac D. 90-Day Mortality And Morbidity Post Acute Stroke: Baseline Results From The Quality In Acute Stroke Care (QASC) Project. International Journal of Stroke 2009 4 S1: p.9.

Middleton S, Dale S, Levi C, Ward J, Griffiths R, Grimshaw J. Challenges in Undertaking a Large Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial To Change Clinician Behaviour. International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare. 2009; 7; (3): 218.

Middleton S, Levi C, D’Este C, Dale S, Griffiths R, Grimshaw J, Ward J, Evans M, Quinn C, Cadilhac D. Death Dependency and Health Status 90 Days Following Stroke in NSW: Interim Results from the Quality in Acute Stroke Care (QASC) project. Internal Medicine Journal 2007; 37: 4, A107

Middleton S, Levi C, Griffiths R, Grimshaw J, Ward J, ACU National. Quality in Acute Stroke Care Project – Protocol for a Clustered Randomised Control Trial to evaluate the management of Fever, Sugar and Swallowing Dysfunction (FESS) following acute stroke. Internal Medicine Journal 2006; 36: A1 – A14.

Middleton S, Levi C, Griffiths R, Grimshaw J, Ward J. Quality in Acute Stroke Care Project – Protocol for a clustered randomized control trial to evaluate the management of fever, sugar and swallowing dysfunction (FeSS) following acute stroke. Stroke Society of Australasia Annual Scientific Meeting 2005, 6-9 September, Melbourne, p.19.