santanna620
Forum Ride Along
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Hi.
My name is Ricardo and I’m an EMT from the city of Braga, in Portugal. As many of you may know, in Europe, almost all of our ambulances have their ambulance cots in a higher position, in relation to American ambulances. Between the cot and the floor, we use an equipment called “chariot”. It allows us to work standing up, and allows the cot to assume various positions, like “tredelenburg” and “fowler”.
In recent years, at least here in Portugal, several ambulance builders are beginning to put the cot directly on the ambulance floor, but attention, for economic reasons… no studies or ergonomic reasoning.
Back in 1998 I had the privileged of going to the U.S. to take the NAEMT PHTLS course, and had the opportunity to do some ride along in several New York State Ambulance Services. What I observed was that back then, few American EMS personnel knew this reality, so when I asked what was the best system, no one could give me a good reason for choosing one or other system better. My experience told me that both systems had their obvious advantages.
My question now, after all this time, is basically the same: Which system do you prefer? And what’s the reason for that?
Here in Europe, the security and safety of patients and EMS personnel is finally beginning to be an important issue, but the advantages and disadvantages of the position of the cot in the ambulance is being neglected. I’m searching the web for studies, but I can’t really find a lot of information about this matter. I’m interested not only in the ergonomic side, but also on the impact of the laws of physics on the body of the patient: vibrations, lateral movements, etc. Does the height of the cot influences?
Especially in my case, my primary function in the private ambulance service I work for is inter-hospital transportation; the secondary transport of serious patients between facilities. So, not only we have to provide with plenty of room for equipment, but also guarantee a safe and hazardous free environment for the patient and medical staff. Of course, as you can imagine that the impact of the ride on the patient must be controlled.
Sorry for the long question. Please, I would really like to know your opinion on this matter, and of course, if you have pertinent info on the subject I could study. We are going to buy a new ambulance next year, and I would really want it to be perfectly suited for the job. Also, any information received and discussed could be passed to other colleagues in Portugal.
I’m sending a few links so you can see our ambulances in Portugal and our main manufacturers. Also I’m posting a few photos of “my” rig, so you can see the “chariot”.
Thanks.
http://www.autoribeiro.pt/index.php
http://www.emergencia2000.pt/homepage.aspx
http://www.futurvida.com/index.php?lingua=pt
My name is Ricardo and I’m an EMT from the city of Braga, in Portugal. As many of you may know, in Europe, almost all of our ambulances have their ambulance cots in a higher position, in relation to American ambulances. Between the cot and the floor, we use an equipment called “chariot”. It allows us to work standing up, and allows the cot to assume various positions, like “tredelenburg” and “fowler”.
In recent years, at least here in Portugal, several ambulance builders are beginning to put the cot directly on the ambulance floor, but attention, for economic reasons… no studies or ergonomic reasoning.
Back in 1998 I had the privileged of going to the U.S. to take the NAEMT PHTLS course, and had the opportunity to do some ride along in several New York State Ambulance Services. What I observed was that back then, few American EMS personnel knew this reality, so when I asked what was the best system, no one could give me a good reason for choosing one or other system better. My experience told me that both systems had their obvious advantages.
My question now, after all this time, is basically the same: Which system do you prefer? And what’s the reason for that?
Here in Europe, the security and safety of patients and EMS personnel is finally beginning to be an important issue, but the advantages and disadvantages of the position of the cot in the ambulance is being neglected. I’m searching the web for studies, but I can’t really find a lot of information about this matter. I’m interested not only in the ergonomic side, but also on the impact of the laws of physics on the body of the patient: vibrations, lateral movements, etc. Does the height of the cot influences?
Especially in my case, my primary function in the private ambulance service I work for is inter-hospital transportation; the secondary transport of serious patients between facilities. So, not only we have to provide with plenty of room for equipment, but also guarantee a safe and hazardous free environment for the patient and medical staff. Of course, as you can imagine that the impact of the ride on the patient must be controlled.
Sorry for the long question. Please, I would really like to know your opinion on this matter, and of course, if you have pertinent info on the subject I could study. We are going to buy a new ambulance next year, and I would really want it to be perfectly suited for the job. Also, any information received and discussed could be passed to other colleagues in Portugal.
I’m sending a few links so you can see our ambulances in Portugal and our main manufacturers. Also I’m posting a few photos of “my” rig, so you can see the “chariot”.
Thanks.
http://www.autoribeiro.pt/index.php
http://www.emergencia2000.pt/homepage.aspx
http://www.futurvida.com/index.php?lingua=pt