Seatbelts in the back

[djmedic913]

You have monitor mounts? We just have to seat-belt them to the bench seat when not in use. When we are using it, it goes wherever we need it.

What do these monitor mounts look like? I've never heard of them. Sounds like a great thing.

Where I used to work we belted it in...but now I have mounts...they are a good idea...or just strap to the patient in a code...lol

we even have those monitor trays for transfers...work great for cath lab runs when the patient is not supposed to move that leg...

 

[JPINFV]

What do these monitor mounts look like? I've never heard of them. Sounds like a great thing.

At my old company, the monitor and 3-channel IV pump for CCTs were on a pole that mounted to a c-clamp on the foot end of the gurney. What was nice about this system was that you didn't have to move the monitor and IV pump to transfer the patient to/from the gurney.

Ferno also has a line of monitor mounts out. http://www.ferno.com/product_listing.aspx?cat=59&subcat=280

 

[trevor1189]

Going to calls I always wear my seatbelt, going to hospital usually not. It's hard to do anything when belted in. Then again, we also aren't running with lights and sirens so it's a little better. If I have to stand up I am holding onto one of the "oh :censored:! bars" on the ceiling.

 

[VentMedic]

Time to Belt Up!: A pledge to protect our own lives

• <LI class=author>Gary Ludwig, MS, EMT-P <LI class=secondary_source>January 2008 JEMS Vol. 33 No. 1
• 2008 Jan 1

http://www.jems.com/news_and_articles/articles/jems/3301/time_to_belt_up.html

In 2003, a study was conducted among EMTs when they submitted their biennial re-registration paperwork to the National Registry of EMTs (NREMT). As part of the study, the EMTs were asked to fill out a survey related to health and safety risks encountered by EMS professionals. Survey participants were asked to describe their seatbelt use in the front seat of an ambulance. A respondent's compliance was classified as “high” in seatbelt use if they had always worn their seatbelt for more than a year or classified as “low” if they hadn't worn their seatbelt at least once within the past year.

A total of 29,575 EMTs returned the survey. Researchers found that seatbelt usage among EMTs appears to correspond with the type of EMS organization to which they belong. EMTs in the military were the most compliant, with about 80% usage, whereas only about 41% of EMTs working for private organizations used their seatbelts. Low seatbelt usage was also recorded among those working in rural areas.

Another study conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) looked at crash data from 1991–2002. The 300 fatal ambulance crashes during that period involved 816 ambulance occupants, 82 of whom died. (Other deaths occurred in vehicles that collided with the ambulance.) Of the 82 deaths, 27 were EMS professionals. Of the 27 EMS deaths, seven (26%) were drivers who weren't wearing seatbelts, two (7%) were unbelted occupants on the passenger side and six (22%) were unrestrained providers in the patient compartment.

During an ambulance collision, an unrestrained provider in the patient compartment essentially becomes a missile flying through the air at the same speed as the ambulance when it crashes. Providers usually end up smashing against the bulkhead and sustaining some type of head trauma.

 

[WolfmanHarris]

I always ensure patients and passengers are belted and voted as such.
I voted sometimes for myself as I'm not 100% on this. Transfers, always; minor calls where all treatment was done on scene, always (vitals can be done sitting); major calls, most of the time.

There is little point belting your patient and not yourself, you will be their most deadly projectile, not to mention being injured yourself.

 

[MRE]

I see one person voted that they never make sure their passengers are buckled up. I hope that was a mistake or they are just joking.

I'll take the blame on that one. I read the line incorrectly. Passengers are always buckled in my ambulance.

 

[TransportJockey]

Everyone up front is buckled up, the pt is belted in to the gurney and it's locked in place... I'm usually only buckled up if it's a long tansport or a stable pt. (I'm used to running in Type IIs, so even buckled in I can reach a lot). Unstable, then I'm up and moving around grabbing things

 

[VentMedic]

Could the attitudes of the EMS providers be part of the reason the industry is slow to install different equipment for restraints or the employer is looking the other way on certain safety issues?

No Pain, No Gain
Moving Toward Safety is Often Difficult

• Wayne M. Zygowicz, B.A. EMT-P
• 2007 Oct 8

http://www.jems.com/news_and_articl...l;jsessionid=0BFA983BFA3979F462B4C84B2A83DAD9

As is the case in many of life's endeavors, there is a price to pay to be successful in whatever issue you may wish to conquer. To succeed in EMS as a manager, leader or change agent we often pay a personal price to see an important issue, idea or standard operating procedure (SOP) come to fruition. Challenging the masses with cutting-edge equipment or fresh, new ideas is often painful for leaders in EMS or the fire service, both rich with history, tradition and people stuck in the rut of "this is the way we have always done it." Moving the EMS machine toward safety and success is often difficult, painful and time consuming for the change agent.

Ultimately, the destiny of safety is in the hands of each individual first responder. Seems simple to comprehend; drive slower, buckle up and avoid death or injury to our patients and our brothers and sisters in public safety. Simple solutions to reduce deadly outcomes! Simple no, but painful yes!

The new safety SOP calls for mandatory use of the five-point patient safety belts on all patients riding on the cot, child safety seat use for all children and infants, and required seat belt use for all responders in the patient care compartment when not rendering direct patient care. First responders weren't happy with this mandate and this new safety agenda with anger and frustration during its 10-day review period prior to implementation.

The new safety SOP was not popular with our caregivers who accused administration of setting them up for worker's compensation battles in the event they are injured in a crash and not wearing their seat belt. Simple, no; painful, yes! The responders viewed it as an obstacle to delivering quality patient care. As a leader, being an agent of change is never easy, even when your efforts are geared toward increasing safety for the responders that you serve.

One tradition is that infants and children are much happier in the arms of their parents during ambulance transport than in an approved child-safety seat tightly fasten to the cot or the captain’s seat. In theory this may seem true because "that’s the way we have always done it for 100 years," even though many states prohibit this risky behavior by law and require the use of child safety seats even in ambulances. Many seasoned EMS veterans still feel it's appropriate to allow children to be transported unrestrained in their ambulance, but would not go home and put their unrestrained child on their spouse’s laps and drive them around during rush hour traffic.

Finally, the issue that most responders objected to the most was the mandatory use of their own seat belt during transport when not rendering patient care. Even though this mandatory seat belt requirement was aimed directly at reducing death and injury to the staff, protecting their livelihood and avoiding pain and suffering for their families, it was not well received. "This is the way we have always done it" and, "it won't happen here" prevailed. The facts speak loudly and say otherwise. Responders and patients are dying every year in ambulance accidents.

 

[Aidey]

For me the issue lies in the fact that the 5 point patient restraint and the 5 point responder restraint belts are a huge interference with care. With the pts 5 point belt on you can't do anything affecting their chest. It's a struggle just to cut a shirt off or palpate their ribs. When we transport pts with bedsores, or those who are throwing up, or very pregnant they are often all more comfortable on one side, rendering the over the shoulder straps useless (and putting them in the pts face).

I've already stated above why it's difficult for me to render care while wearing a seat belt; The belts just don't allow me to be close enough to the patient to do anything.

I feel that this issue is one that is not going to be resolved until the people in charge of the regulations start asking us what is going to work for us, and design something that will.

We're also facing issues such as company mandated decreases in response times in order for private companies to be competative. So you have a company saying "spend less time on scene or you're fired", but you can't reach the patient when wearing your seat belt in the back. It's asinine to expect people not to get frustrated and say "no" to additional changes and regulations when the expectations are so conflicting no one knows how to deal with them.

 

[JPINFV]

never mind...

 

[daedalus]

After I saw t he pictures of a medic's brain matter all over the back of a rig, I decided to almost always wear a seatbelt. I actually get made fun of it.