By increasing local cerebral blood flow to ischemic brain tissue in a timely fashion, impending cerebral infarction can be reversed. Aggressive, early intervention is the key to overall neurological improvement of stroke patients. Ancrod, a purified protein fraction of venom from the Malayan pit viper, has been shown to produce rapid and effective defibrinogenation in humans. A current clinical trial with ancrod in patients with acute or progressing nonhemorrhagic ischemic stroke requires an onset to treatment time of no more than 6 hours. Ancillary hospital personnel, physicians and nurses all play important roles in expediting study treatment. Nurses must assess ancrod study patients for potential bleeding problems. Community awareness and education about the warning signs of impending stroke are factors important to insuring early intervention and improving neurological outcome of stroke victims.