In an emergency, will your stretcher bear up?
When you need to get a patient from A-B, does your stretcher offer the safest route? The design and specification of stretchers has become increasingly more innovative as manufacturers have improved safety and performance, but how do you choose which stretcher will be effective for your particular occupational environment? Order through a remote medical supplies specialist such as medekit.com, and you have the guarantee that all the stretchers in the online catalogue are suitable for a remote site situation where features such as ease of use, size and durability are key factors.
For many simple patient transportation tasks, to carry a person with relatively minor injuries over a short distance, a straightforward pole stretcher is probably all you need for the job. These are available in one-fold and two-fold versions. medekit recommends the Duo-fold simply because, at just 6 kg, it's easy to carry and can be folded away to a compact 103cm x 15 cm x 25cm. However one of the key issues about most remote site medicine is that rescue and care usually have to be carried out in an atypical environment, creating unexpected problems. One medic arrived onboard a survey ship to join a fully equipped clinic only to discover the stretcher, when in use, would not fit round the tight corners in the corridors of the vessel.
medekit has selected three different stretchers for emergency rescue and each one has strengths in different circumstances. The official NATO rescue stretcher since WWII, the Paraguard TM has a unique construction that allows the centre to unlock and bend, so it's effective in confined or awkward spaces. As a result it's been used extensively for underground rescue, in earthquake and other emergency situations. It would also be suitable in the space limitations of a rig or ship. Other factors that enhance its role for remote site use are its ease of use. Special symbols on the patient securing flaps indicate where the patient should be positioned. It's also very durable, made from high quality aluminium and flame-resistant materials affective against corrosion and rotting.
If an injured person needs to be moved or carried some distance across rough terrain, then a Rescue Basket is ideal in that it provides full body protection. It can be dragged, carried or lifted across muddy terrain without affecting the patient's well-being. It can also be lifted horizontally or vertically, using ropes and a four-point lifting bridle, supplied as an accessory. As such, it's a versatile solution both on a building site and in a mountain rescue.
The Neil Robertson Stretcher is an unusual design made of lattice wood slats and tough cotton. It's specifically used for lifting, often in difficult or unconventional rescue circumstances, perhaps in a mine of building site, where a patient needs to be raised or lowered to safety.
In a case of suspected spinal injury, a head immobiliser is an essential piece of equipment that can be used with a variety of stretchers and splints. In this situation, the standard Lifting Scoop is a useful stretcher. It can be positioned without lifting or rolling the patient. Inner cradles prevent any patient movement, reducing risk of further injury. Spinal boards also deliver the strength and rigidity for tough immobilisation and extraction tasks and are compatible with all standard head immobilisers.
Doubling as mattress and stretcher, a vacuum mattress can be used to transport someone with severe injuries over a shorter distance. It moulds precisely to the shape of each patient as air is evacuated from the mattress, ensuring complete and effective immobilisation.
When medical teams are working in challenging and cramped environments, in all circumstances, features that make a stretcher easy to, manoeuvre and carry are important. Remember that stretcher design needs to minimise any form of lifting injury to the medic as well as providing the right protection for the patient.