How do you get the patients into the ambulance?

[Tigger]

We use the mega mover for our heavy patients or the fire departments "carry all". Everyone calls these whale movers. They are just heavy duty tarps with 4-8 handles on them. We run on 2 males often that weigh over 350lbs. Our gurneys hold up to 660lbs. So we are like UPS "if it fits it ships". Our Bari unit could take up to 2 hours to get to us.

On one of the guys who weighs 378lbs (last weigh in) we easily loaded him into the ambulance with a manual gurney with no lift assist. We did a dual person lift and had the patients family member move the wheels up to the frame.

We have a lift test in order to start working where we have to lift 150lbs from the ground and place it on a box that is the height of the gurneys. So each person should be able to safely lift 150lbs at a minimum (hence why staying fit should be mandatory).

Haha I like the "if it fits it ships" line, though isn't that the post office? For non-emergent patients I'll wait for the bari stretcher, if the patient needs to go to the hospital now and ways less than 700 pounds then we'll strap the "fat corset" on them and break out the extra 9' straps in the c-spine bag.

 

[Artst10]

We use Stryker One and a half man stretchers. Still requires muscle and technique to lift and get the stretcher in, as gently as possible.

 

[AmbuLift]

In the video I noticed the cable kinking multiple times and the emt attempting to fix it. I would be simply worried about the kink causing unseen damage to the cable and snapping.

It's a good idea, but I think a nylon type strap would be safer (Similar to the ropes here: at the bottom -or straps- http://www.yatesgear.com/rescue/tactical/ropes/index.htm) Much safer if it does break. And as far as a fail safe, I'm talking like flaps that pop up on the ramp as the wheels go up to stop it from rolling away, think a roller coaster being pulled up the first hill.
Like I said, it looks good, I'm just afraid of the safety aspect of it.

Thank you for the feedback. We have actually been considering moving to a nylon strap instead of a steel cable and have now made the switch.

 

[traumaluv2011]

We just lift people, it takes two people and if they know what they are doing (especially with the stryker pros), everything is done right. Unless we get called for a bariatric rig. If they are manatee sized, we'll use the ramp & winch system. If not, it's easier to call the fire department and put them on the bariatric stretcher.

I've seen those power load things and the problem I see with it is that if it breaks, your rig is down. Sure if it loses power, there is a backup battery, but say the hydraulics or something malfunctions. It's a worst case scenario, but now your ambulance has to go out for repairs.

 

[cynikalkat]

stretcher envy

we have ancient vietnam war era metal stretchers. I am SO envious of depts with awesome Strykers.

We use the big LBS for large folks, and lots of muscle. I'm grateful that most of our Medics are also burley ff's.