Re: Is your patient belted? Stretcher spill sparks lawsuit

[Guest guest]

Don't know about a law but standard of care is to properly restrain.

Restrain with all straps your service provides. Here is an example

of why. And my guess if this was in the USA it would have been for

millions.

http://www.edmontonsun.com/Business/WhosSuing/2008/07/27/6277701-

sun.html

Stretcher spill sparks lawsuit

By TONY BLAIS

An Edmonton woman has launched a $125,000 lawsuit against a

paramedic, an emergency medical technician (EMT), the City of

Edmonton and Capital Health after alleging she was severely injured

when she fell off a stretcher at the Royal andra Hospital.

In a statement of claim filed June 26, Bertha Shailer alleges she

called 911 on July 3, 2006 to request an ambulance as she was

suffering from nausea, vomiting, numbness in her extremities and

respiratory distress.

She also allegedly displayed signs of mental confusion.

Shailer alleges paramedic Panylyk and EMT Roy Serrao

transported her in an ambulance to the Royal andra Hospital,

arriving about midnight.

She then claims that while waiting unattended for treatment in the

hospital's emergency department, she fell onto the floor from the

stretcher she was seated on.

According to the statement of claim, Shailer suffered severe injuries

to her head, neck, right shoulder and right arm and continues to

suffer from pain and loss of motion.

The lawsuit alleges the defendants failed to take a proper and

careful history of Shailer from time to time and failed to recognize

the nature of her condition and the risk of her falling from the

stretcher she was seated on.

>

> It doesn't say in the rules that you should tape down your IV or

secure your ET tube...but the intelligent person sure would see all

that could go wrong if they weren't to,?and then do it.

>

> Studies are showing that 3 cross straps and 2 shoulder straps are

absolutely necessary on every patient transport to keep your patient

on the stretcher in the event of a vehicle accident.? If you don't do

this, your patient will become a lawn dart...which heading towards

the front wall of the ambulance with no warning and head-first is not

really compatible with life...and in accidents as low as 26

mph...patients have died (as have medics) from striking the captain's

chair or front bulkhead head first.

>

> But wait, there is more...even before you get your patient to the

ambulance, a lack of straps can cause your patient to tumble off the

stretcher (again from 3 to 4 feet high with no protection or

warning...can be detrimental).?

>

> So, fall back to one of the principle precepts of

medicine....First, do no harm....and strap your patient to the

stretcher no matter how inconvenient for you or " uncomfortable " for

your patient.? 99% of the time it won't matter....but that 1% of the

time it could be the difference between life and death.

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> Dudley

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> Is your patient belted?

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> Does anyone know of a state EMS rule that requires the patient to

be

> secured to the stretcher during transport? I know some stretchers

have

> multipoint belts and some have three belts, but I don't know where

in

> the rules that it is stated that the patient must be secured to the

> stretcher. Any help?

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