What Are the Precautions in Using a Stretcher?

Stretchers have been used in emergency situations for as far back as records indicate. Though they've come along way since then, their purpose has remained the same: They easily transport an injured person from one place to another. Without stretchers, moving a patient from an ambulance into a hospital or from a hospital room into surgery would be significantly more difficult. In order to prevent more injuries from occurring during quick movements, certain precautions are used by medical workforces everywhere.

History

• The use of stretchers during emergency situations dates back all the way to ancient times, especially during military battles. The first types of stretchers were formed from wooden poles that slid through a canvas sling. This type was used through the middle of the 20th century and is still used in military emergencies. Today, modern stretchers are used in ambulances and hospitals and usually consist of a narrow bed with wheels and contractible railings.

Assessments

• In hospitals, standard precautions are taught throughout the medical workforce on the proper use of stretchers. This allows patient transfers to run smoothly and identically each time, and it prevents more injury to a patient. First, before the transporting precautions begin, a doctor or nurse must assess the patient's needs. These assessments include knowing the patient's ability to move himself, knowing the patient's sore or injured body parts, realizing what conscious state the patient is in and making sure the safety features of the stretcher are intact.

Precautions in Transport

• Once the assessment of the patient is complete, the nurse takes standard precautions when moving the patient to or from a stretcher. First, the nurse must wash her hands to reduce transmission of microorganisms. For the smoothest transport from a bed to a stretcher, the bed is raised 1 inch above the stretcher, to prevent patient falls and nurse muscle strains. Brakes are set in place on the stretcher to prevent it from moving. The railings on the bed and the stretcher are removed on only the sides that face each other to reduce the risk of the patient falling. The patient can then move herself onto the stretcher, or if assistance is needed according to the original assessment, nurses move the patient.

Serious Cases

• More precautions are followed when a patient is injured to the point of needing transport assistance. In this case, any tubes attached to the patient are emptied, with amounts first recorded, to prevent leaks and IV dislodging. A bed sheet is used to lift the patient from the bed to the stretcher to keep her body aligned correctly and to prevent shearing. A board is usually placed between the bed and the stretcher to reduce the risk of the patient falling. A pillow is set on the board to prevent head injury. The number of nurses needed depends on the weight and condition of the patient. The nurses work in unison by counting to three.

Precautions After Transport

• Once the patient is transported into the stretcher, any tubes that were emptied are refilled to where they were prior to the move, and the IV pole is attached to the stretcher. The patient is covered with a blanket for comfort and privacy. The belt is secured around the patient to prevent movement that might injure the patient, and the railing that was removed is again secured to prevent the patient from falling out. One nurse should stand at the head of the stretcher and another at the foot of the stretcher. Doors should never be opened with the stretcher.