Stretcher Question

WolfmanHarris said:
Even the x-frames are not supposed to be transported at full height. They usually are, but by the letter of the equipment manual a few notches down is the more stable and thus transport height. Moving the patient at loading height into the facility is certainly better for my back, but be aware that you run the risk of wearing it if there's a fall due to your improper use of the device. That's why if I'm ever leaving the stretcher without crew hands on it (thank-you offload delay) I lower into down to a more stable height.

Now this is based off of my schooling and the provincial equipment manual. I will have to go digging when I'm not in bed if anyone wants confirmation from the manufacturers guidelines for the Ferno 35 series.
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Yes, but theoretically the pt feels the same 1 ft off the ground as he does 100 feet off the ground. If your stretcher is adjustable for height, always transport in the height that is best for your back, For me, that is usually full up (I'm 6'1")
 
Regardless of how the pt. feels, centre of gravity does change with the height of the stretcher and a higher centre of gravity is more apt to tip. I of course agree with protecting your back, but that doesn't change the potential for increasing your own liability by keeping the stretcher at loading height while transporting the pt. As with anything, if you're going to do it, know the risk ahead of time and attempt to control it. For example, I never lower a bariatric pt. to mid-height to avoid the extra lifting; but as a result I will also never leave this pt. out of arm's reach or sight so that I can better forsee and intervene to prevent tipping.
 
When I used strykers, someone always stayed with the pt hand on cot. They also don't tend to tip as easily if people would just set the break and not be lazy about it! Push it up against a wall, set the brake, and have a hand on the other (non-wall side). Just like the video that came with the cot says!
 
MSDeltaFlt said:
They call it the "load position" for that exact reason.
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and it's called LOAD because that's the ONLY time you should have the cot this high!

The higher the cot is, the more top-heavy it becomes... therefore it is more likely to tip over.

Few folks do it... but the cot should really be lowered a little before you start moving it, so that it is stable.
 
I almost tipped a patient today. No more walking away from the stretcher even when you're convinced they wont move.
 
Jon said:
and it's called LOAD because that's the ONLY time you should have the cot this high!

The higher the cot is, the more top-heavy it becomes... therefore it is more likely to tip over.

Few folks do it... but the cot should really be lowered a little before you start moving it, so that it is stable.
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Jon, I'm so tall that taking it all the way up is best for me. Now I don't put it in the jog position (the one that's higher than the load position) because that only changes the incline angle and cot height and not the height of the push handles.
 
Sasha said:
I almost tipped a patient today. No more walking away from the stretcher even when you're convinced they wont move.
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Don't ya hate that?


I had one leaving a dialysis center. It was snowy and nasty out. I hit the only crack that I always try to avoid and I was working with a newer girl so yeah. Patient isn't able to speak or anything and he leans to the side that it was tipping normally.

Took all my strength to keep it from hitting the ground. Saved it probably 2 feet from the ground. 2 people ran out and helped us. (Since then, they filled the crack)


Only thing going through my head was Oh crap, don't let him touch the ground or I'll have one hell of a report to write. :D
 
WHen I bring an ambulance in to teach ambulance operations, I always show one thing off on the stretchers. I load some bags on the stretchers, put a little weight on it, then put two people one each end. I show them why it is so important to walk with the stretcher while holding the head and foot ends, and why you CANT wheel it sideways. I put them on a hill, and have them walk sideways, and the stretcher almost always tips.

Then, on flat ground, I have them wheel it sideways again, and simulate what happens when they hit a crack while in load position. By just picking up on the bottom carriage a bit, you can make it tip quite easily.
It really is scary how easily these stretchers tip-- and it only takes one close call before you become more careful.
 
emt.dan said:
WHen I bring an ambulance in to teach ambulance operations, I always show one thing off on the stretchers. I load some bags on the stretchers, put a little weight on it, then put two people one each end. I show them why it is so important to walk with the stretcher while holding the head and foot ends, and why you CANT wheel it sideways. I put them on a hill, and have them walk sideways, and the stretcher almost always tips.

Then, on flat ground, I have them wheel it sideways again, and simulate what happens when they hit a crack while in load position. By just picking up on the bottom carriage a bit, you can make it tip quite easily.
It really is scary how easily these stretchers tip-- and it only takes one close call before you become more careful.
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They did something similar for us, but we would take turns on the stretcher. It helped us lear what it felt like to be on one. For our road operations day we also had to ride in the back as a patient as the road course was completed.
 
The stryker is in load position when the head is higher as pictured. As mentioned it helps achieves an easier lift when it it positioned like that; unless you are lucky enough to have one of the fancy mechanical ones. My cots are all rugged strykers and I would not have anything else. :)
 
traumamama said:
The stryker is in load position when the head is higher as pictured. As mentioned it helps achieves an easier lift when it it positioned like that; unless you are lucky enough to have one of the fancy mechanical ones. My cots are all rugged strykers and I would not have anything else. :)
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I was talking about the power cots which is what we had. There is the position pictured, which is designed for loading into smaller trucks, but which we used for pushing around. And then there are 1-3 higher "jog" positions to push into the larger vehicles. We usually only activated one jog position since we kept the same cots on the same trucks, but if we switched cots on the trucks, we could get to all of the jog positions which would elevate the head even higher than in the picture and allow us to load on a hill, into a higher truck, on gravel (love those wide tires!), and even once on grass/mud.
 
Another stretcher tip.. make sure the stretcher catches as you pull it out, your patient wont appreciate almost being dropped.

I've had a bad couple days stretcher wise.
 
Sasha said:
Another stretcher tip.. make sure the stretcher catches as you pull it out, your patient wont appreciate almost being dropped.

I've had a bad couple days stretcher wise.
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That's why you don't rely on the stretcher catching, always think it's going to miss.

For some reason our older rig has the safety latch, but when we ordered our new one they decided it wasn't necessary. So if you're not focusing on that fact, it's always a nice surprise.
 
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