SandpitMedic
Crowd pleaser
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:/
Is that in book 1? I must need to go back and re-read my course materials.
I've never had an issue with a bra inhibiting my professional assessment.
clothing removal
- Thread starter billycorgi
- Start date
:/
Is that in book 1? I must need to go back and re-read my course materials.
I've never had an issue with a bra inhibiting my professional assessment.
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gotbeerz001
Forum Deputy Chief
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Let me clarify, was editing when my 10 minutes ran out...
I rarely "make 'em naked". Cut clothes to underwear before I board an unconscious or severely altered pt in trauma setting. We have lots of hands where I work; it takes 30 seconds to have 2 people cutting, me getting a rapid trauma done, rolling and boarding. I don't have all those hands in the back of the rig and I'd rather leave the clothes onscene to be bagged up by the sup than cluttering up the back of a busy rig.
The cardiac bra issue came up in later comments that I had not read.
Seemed that the OP was asking whether we actually cut clothes on a trauma or not. My answer is YES. I have no problem cutting away what I need in order to visualize areas that are affected on a pt that cannot communicate.
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NomadicMedic
I know a guy who knows a guy.
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It depends on the severity of the injury. Ped struck in the highway? Naked. CPR? Everything above the waist removed. RSI? Usually everything above the waist removed.
Anything else? I expose as needed. Use your judgement.
Anything else? I expose as needed. Use your judgement.
mycrofft
Still crazy but elsewhere
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Flash from the past: don't take off that boot (shoe)
I show my first aid students the video (the next to latest version shows a first aider palpating the toes of a closed-toe sports shoe) telling you to check toes for circulation but telling you elsewhere not to remove the shoes. (This is in regards anatomic/self-splinting the legs with four cravat bandages and no padding).
One of the "Great Paradoxes of the ARC" .
But not insurmountable. If it hurts them more, don't do it. No, you can't check toes through a shoe, and the video does not tell them what to look or feel for at any rate. However, knowing the "leave the boot on" deal was from the era when they didn't have the supplies we have today, and if in the wilds you might need that foot bound up in its boot to get out to help, and since EMS help in the city/suburbs is not that a far away (heck, for a foot-only, a private auto is an ok workaround), shoe removal is still basically only done if you need to control important bleeding; otherwise,leave it on, or take it off, just do no more harm.
(EMT level: yes take it off, prevent compartmentalization and assess distal signs).
I show my first aid students the video (the next to latest version shows a first aider palpating the toes of a closed-toe sports shoe) telling you to check toes for circulation but telling you elsewhere not to remove the shoes. (This is in regards anatomic/self-splinting the legs with four cravat bandages and no padding).
One of the "Great Paradoxes of the ARC" .
But not insurmountable. If it hurts them more, don't do it. No, you can't check toes through a shoe, and the video does not tell them what to look or feel for at any rate. However, knowing the "leave the boot on" deal was from the era when they didn't have the supplies we have today, and if in the wilds you might need that foot bound up in its boot to get out to help, and since EMS help in the city/suburbs is not that a far away (heck, for a foot-only, a private auto is an ok workaround), shoe removal is still basically only done if you need to control important bleeding; otherwise,leave it on, or take it off, just do no more harm.
(EMT level: yes take it off, prevent compartmentalization and assess distal signs).
RedAirplane
Forum Asst. Chief
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Old thread, but I wanted to pose a particular scenario:
You respond to a pedestrian struck by a motor vehicle. She is curled up on the sidewalk yelling (loudly but intelligibly). Visual assessment shows three large lacerations to the head.
Under the assumption that you were going to C-spine the patient, would you have to get off all the clothes first? Otherwise it's hard to inspect the posterior on a backboard. On the other hand, she's somewhat alert, and I'm hesitant about displaying her butt for the world.
In a first responder role, I can cop out and hold C-spine, control obvious bleeding, and do an exterior exam until fire and ALS shows up right behind. But if I were in a transporting role, I should know how to handle the situation.
You respond to a pedestrian struck by a motor vehicle. She is curled up on the sidewalk yelling (loudly but intelligibly). Visual assessment shows three large lacerations to the head.
Under the assumption that you were going to C-spine the patient, would you have to get off all the clothes first? Otherwise it's hard to inspect the posterior on a backboard. On the other hand, she's somewhat alert, and I'm hesitant about displaying her butt for the world.
In a first responder role, I can cop out and hold C-spine, control obvious bleeding, and do an exterior exam until fire and ALS shows up right behind. But if I were in a transporting role, I should know how to handle the situation.
DesertMedic66
Forum Troll
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Just because you cut cloths off doesn't mean you have to expose the patient to the public. Cut the cloths on the sides so that after you are done doing your physical inspection you can place or fold the cloths back over onto the patient to keep them warm and prevent exposing them to everyone.
Now for my area once they are in the back of the ambulance their cloths get cut off or removed (aside from under garments) and then covered with a blanket. Our trauma center prefers us to have the patient "trauma naked" but keeping them covered to reduce heat loss.
Now for my area once they are in the back of the ambulance their cloths get cut off or removed (aside from under garments) and then covered with a blanket. Our trauma center prefers us to have the patient "trauma naked" but keeping them covered to reduce heat loss.