The rule that the head should be immobilised to the spinal board last is
standard teaching in all of the pre-hospital courses I have ever done or
seen. It was certainly emphasised on the BASICS Refresher course I did in
March. How much training do nurses/medical staff in A&E get in immoblising
patients on a board?
I would have thought, for example, that nursing staff could safely remove a
patient from a board on arrival (provided he/she is rock-solid stable and a
doctor isn't poised to examine their back), using a scoop stretcher. It uses
2 staff instead of however many are needed to log roll that size of patient,
and I think (no evidence!) keeps the back straighter than all but the most
expert log rolls.
I do accept, howeverf, that using a scoop drives a coach and horses through a
trust's non-lifting policy.
James Allport
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|