Laying on the Stretcher

MMiz

MMiz

I put the M in EMTLife
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This started in another thread, but I thought I would expand on it.

I could neer bring myself to lay on the stretcher, it just seemed dirty to me. Once or twice I've layed on the bench seat, but it's not the most comfortable place to be.

99% of the time I'll just sit up front, I've learned to accept it up there.

What about you?
 
Well, if we wipe down the stretcher and the pad on the stretcher, and put clean sheets on, I'll cozy up to it. Especially at 3am when we have a 30 minute trip home... just enough time to catch a nice little nap.
 
Never on the stretcher, that's for the patients.

The bench seat, on the other hand....
 
I always cover it up with a heavy blanket first; the whole thing that is, belts on the floor and arm rests folded down.

didn't have any say in the matter on the one occasion the tables had turned. :angry:
 
I can never lay on the stretcher... It's all out in the open with nothing around it... I hate that! I always have my bed against a wall or something... I'm not comfortable otherwise.

I have, however, caught naps on the bench seat more than once. I don't mind that it is a little hard...
 
Our cot is cleaned and disinfected after every call, but after seeing some of the people on it- ICKY. Especially after giving grandma lasix, or the guy coming thru a seizure who craps on it. I'd rather be uncomfy snoozin up front.
 
I swear I have to stop reading this forum while I'm eating lunch.
 
Originally posted by Chimpie@Apr 6 2005, 01:22 PM
I swear I have to stop reading this forum while I'm eating lunch.
Click to expand...
LOL! Sorry... :)
 
I always do a thorough decon on the gurney when I'm on the transport. I hope everyone else does too, but since I don't know for sure, I personally wouldn't lie on it unless I was a PT.
 
Not unless there was something worse facing me, which, in the ambulance, there isn't. I usually don't sleep on the stretcher while the unit is in motion. I hate to take naps while my driver has to stay awake. It's usually the same the other way around, too. We keep each other up.

Now if we're parked someplace, I'd rather sleep in the front seat. I had someone try to steal the ambulance the last time both my partner and I slept in the back - And no, we were not together....

-Ray
 
I wont sleep on my stretcher, even after its been thourgholy cleaned. Just knowing what kind of PTs I've had on it makes me change my mind.

The bench on the other had... ;) But I ussualy takea nap in the front seat. Kick my legs up and its shut eye time.
 
Originally posted by rescuecpt@Apr 5 2005, 11:23 PM
Well, if we wipe down the stretcher and the pad on the stretcher, and put clean sheets on, I'll cozy up to it. Especially at 3am when we have a 30 minute trip home... just enough time to catch a nice little nap.
Click to expand...
If It isn't good enough for me, why is it good enough for my patient????

I make sure I've deconned it very well, and sometimes will lay a sheet or light blanket over everything else so I don't have to re-make it.

There is another good point - If you sleep on the cot, do you put a fresh sheet on it after? Would YOU want to be on that strecher after Joe the Skanky EMT slept on it? Espically as he is 26 hours into a 24 hour shift....????

Remember.. Our Pt's don't have a say in the matter, so we need to watch out for them. If you wouldn't want you or your grandmother transported like that, why do we do that to our patients????

Jon
 
routinely sleep on the cot. fresh sheets, s/p decon, works for me.
 
I dont see why some freak out about laying on the cot if the tables were turned and you were the patient you'd be laying right there. I figure as long as it's deconed your fine, not that I make it a habit of laying on it.
 
what's wrong with sleeping on the litter? I have done it, and will continue to do so. Just a good wipe down and clean sheets. And VOILA! a good clean bed that is more comfortable that the bench.
 
I've crashed on the cot before, especially coming home from long distance transfers. Anything shorter than an hour though, I can snooze up front. As for standbys, I'll stay up front with my shades on....looks bad if someone gets hurt and I'm crashed out in the back.
 
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