Chapter 8-lifting And Moving Patients

Question 1

Wheeled ambulance stretcher (ambulance stretcher, Gurney, or stretcher)

Answer 1

• Most commonly used device to transport and move patients

* it’s a specially designed structure that can be rolled along the ground and weighs between 40 and 145 pounds

Question 2

Features and how to work the stretcher

Answer 2

• The stretcher has a specific head end and foot end
• has a strong metal frame, and should be pulled pushed and lifted only by the main frame or handles
• mattress must be fluid resistant
• patients must always be secured with straps on the stretcher

Question 3

Backboard (Long backboards, spine boards, trauma boards, long boards)

Answer 3

• A long flat board made of rigid, rectangular material
• used to carry patients and to immobilize supine patients with suspected hip, pelvic, spinal, and lower extremity injuries or other multiple trauma in accordance with local protocols
• 6 to 7 feet long, commonly used for patients who are found lying down

Question 4

After delivering the patient to the ED (emergency department) you and your team must begin preparation for your next call, what does this process of evaluation include?

Answer 4

• procedures that need more practice
• equipment that needs to be cleaned
• skills that you need to review or acquire

Question 5

Body mechanics

Answer 5

The relationship between the bodies anatomical structures in the physical force is associated with lifting, moving and carrying
(The ways in which the body moves to achieve a specific action)

Question 6

What is a good use of body mechanics?

Answer 6

Maintaining proper posture and body movement during daily activities

Using good body mechanics while lifting and moving patients reduces your risk of injury

Question 7

What is the correct way to lift something?

Answer 7

Always keep your back in a straight up right position, and lift without twisting

Face the patient and keep your feet pointed in the same direction

If you need to turn with a patient, change the direction of your feet instead of twisting

Bend down with your legs, and then extend your legs to lift back up

Question 8

Power lift

Answer 8

Lifting by extending the properly placed flexed legs

Question 9

Power grip

Answer 9

Whenever you grasp a stretcher or backward, your hand should be at least 10 inches apart with your palms facing up. Then move your hands forwards until your thumb is tightly pressed against the object, and then curl your fingers and thumb tightly over the handle

Question 10

What do you do when performing a body drag?

Answer 10

Your back should always be locked in a slight curve and you should be flexing your abs, keep your back in its normal upright position and avoid any twisting.

Question 11

What can you do to minimize distance you have to lean over when pulling a patient?

Answer 11

Kneel down

Question 12

How far do you extend your arms when pulling?

Answer 12

No more than 15 to 20 inches in front of your torso

Question 13

How do you pull the patient in when you are in the correct position

Answer 13

You slowly flex your arms, once you have no room left you move back another 15 to 20 inches

Question 14

When normally pulling a patient, is it OK to pull the patient as you move at the same time?

Answer 14

No, because it will prevent undesirable jostling of the patient and can protect a sudden force that will occur across your spine

Question 15

How to reach and Pull a patient safely

Answer 15

A. Kneel to pull a patient who is on the ground
B. When pulling, your elbow should only extend just beyond anterior torso
C. Bend your knees to pull a patient who is a different-you are. Position your feet or knees to balance the force

Question 16

How to perform A body drag with an EMT on each side of the patient

Answer 16

1. Kneel just beyond the patients shoulder facing his or her groin, extend one arm across the front of your chest and grasp the armpit, and extend across your chest and grab the patients belt with the other arm
2. Raise your elbows and flex your arms to pull the patient

Question 17

How to log roll a patient

Answer 17

You will initially have to reach farther than 18 inches, to minimize the reach distance, Kneel as close to the patients side leaving only enough room so that your knees will not prevent the patient from being rolled.

To minimize the amount of time you are extended, rolled a patient without stopping until the patient is resting on his or her side and braced against your thighs

Question 18

What is the common adult patient weight?

Answer 18

Between 120 and 220 pounds

Question 19

What weight should you not attempt to lift a person without four providers or more?

Answer 19

250lbs

Question 20

Define diamond Carry

Answer 20

A diamond Carry is when a patient on a backboard or structure is lifted by four providers with one at the head, one at the feet, and one on each side

Question 21

Where should the stronger provider be positioned with a backboard?

Answer 21

The head

Question 22

Definition of emergency move

Answer 22

When there is the potential of danger around, use an emergency move to drag or pull a patient to a safe place before assessment and care

Question 23

rapid extrication technique

Answer 23

The rapid extrication technique makes it so that the patient can be moved from sitting in the vehicle to supine, and on a backboard if needed in one minute or less. This increase injury risk if there’s a spinal problem however.

Question 24

Direct ground lift

Answer 24

Used for patients with no suspected spinal injury who are found lying supine on the ground. Ideally three providers should be there, but two works too

Question 25

Extremity lift

Answer 25

Can be used for patients with no suspected extremity or spinal injuries who are lying supine or sitting

Question 26

What’s a transfer move and give an example

Answer 26

A transfer move is a way to transfer the patient from a bed onto the stretcher
For example… the direct Carry

Question 27

What are two physiological changes in older people that you need to pay special attention to as an EMT?

Answer 27

1. Skeletal changes

2. Fear

Question 28

Bariatric stretcher

Answer 28

Kind of like a wheeled stretcher (modified for obese people)
however it has a widened patient surface area for increased comfort, as well as a wide wheel base so that it doesn’t feel as a rough off terrain. It can go up to 850 or 900 pounds as well

Question 29

Portable/folding stretchers

Answer 29

Portable stretcher is a stretcher with a strong, rectangular, tubular metal frame and a rigid fabric stretched across it. Any ambulances carry one to use if a patient is in a difficult area to reach with a wheeled ambulance stretcher or if there’s a second patient

Question 30

Flexible stretcher

Answer 30

A flexible stretcher forms a rigid stretcher that forms around the patients sides and does not extend beyond them. They are useful when you must remove a patient from a confined space, or if a patient must be belayed or repelled by ropes

Question 31

Short backboard

Answer 31

Used to immobilize the torso, head, and neck of a seated patient with a suspected spinal injury until you can immobilize the patient onto a backboard

Question 32

Vacuum mattress

Answer 32

A patient is placed on the mattress and air is removed around the device, allowing it to mold around the patient. This can be useful for limiting pressure point tenderness, and high immobilization and comfort and insulation

Question 33

Basket stretcher (stokes litter)

Answer 33

Use a basket stretcher to carry a patient across uneven terrain from a remote location that is inaccessible by an ambulance or other vehicle. If you suspect a spinal injury, secures the person on a backboard and then placed a backboard into the basket stretcher

Question 34

Scoop stretcher

Answer 34

Designed to be split into two or four pieces. The sections are fitted around the patient was lying on the ground. Then you reconnect it and lift a person on to a backboard or stretcher

Question 35

Neonatal isoletts

Answer 35

Safely transport a neonatal patient, they must be placed inside of an Isolette, sometimes referred to as an incubator. This keeps them warm with moistened air in a clean environment and helps protect the infant. The Isolette is either placed directly on top of the wheeled stretcher and secured with seatbelts, or a freestanding Isolette is secured in the back of an ambulance

Question 36

DeContamination

Answer 36

Always decontaminate your equipment after using it every call, to prevent the spread of disease and to protect you, your partners, and whoever uses it after you