Ever Had a Fat Patient Break Your Back?

[MedicAR]

Bottom line..... Situation Dictates Procedure.

There you have it. No matter how careful you are, how perfect your lifitng form is, sooner or later it just won't matter. Most of this job is creative problem solving!

[kyemt26103]

does anyone know what 20 yrs of lifting people the [ right way} will get you, ??? arthritis in both knees both hips and both hands !!!!!!!!

[14Gauge]

I've been reading the replies to the question. One thing I noticed is everyone who had assists had the help on the corners of the stretcher. I was taught, and always used, one person per side of the cot. Or am I just reading too much into it?

[Don1977]

My service has 2 bariatric stretchers that can hold up to 1600 lbs a piece, and trust me we use them damn things almost everyday. I have been sore after a few fat asses, but never pulled anything, yet.

[CBEMT]

A good friend slipped two discs in his back picking up a drug-seeking mutt. Ended his career.

[firespec35]

I've been reading the replies to the question. One thing I noticed is everyone who had assists had the help on the corners of the stretcher. I was taught, and always used, one person per side of the cot. Or am I just reading too much into it?

So, 1 person walking backwards? Not sure I like that

[MedicAR]

So, 1 person walking backwards? Not sure I like that

I got the impression it was a diamond carry. Still 1 person moving backwards, still not good.

The pt I mentioned earlier wound up being 526 lbs per the ER. We moved him with three people on either side of the cot, two at the head and one at the feet until we loaded. Then we had the two at the feet and three on either side.

[14Gauge]

14Gauge wrote:

I've been reading the replies to the question. One thing I noticed is everyone who had assists had the help on the corners of the stretcher. I was taught, and always used, one person per side of the cot. Or am I just reading too much into it?

So, 1 person walking backwards? Not sure I like that

No, not 4 people during the move, just for the lift to the cot and the load to the rig. Sorry, I wasn't clear on the first post. Now I realize we're referring to a move w/o a cot. Thanx.

[unknown]

Pt weight for our Cot in the Helicopters is 400 lbs. Bad deal is often times it depends on the weight distribution--- If the pt is a male at 6'2 and 305 sure we can fly him but if it's a female 5'0 at 250...... she is probably not going to fit- her girth would be the reason........

[fit4duty]

i used to be a competitive power lifter, and still am capable of moving substantial weight. On the job however, my partner (ex-airborne) and i decided that our limit was 300#, period. At 301 we request a lift assist. i look at it like this, if a service is going to take a call then aren't they required to provide the resources necessary to get the job done safely for both the patient and the crew? and yes they will try to punk some crews (male & female) into doing things by saying they have to request fire because no one else is available...no problem, i've done it a number of times with a smile. the point is this: the 3 most important assets we possess is our certs, our brain (most of us ) and our backs. I'm not going to risk mine and by extension my partners for anything!!! further, if i can't manage a patient for the extra 5-10min it takes for additional help to arrive then i should probably find another line of work. i am no good to my patient if i screw myself up or my partner during the course of a call because load was too much to handle.

Here's the scary part, the general population is not getting thinner, so the weight of the patient is going to continually be an issue and and i suspect that there will be a noticeable rise in responder injuries related to patient size. this will be unavoidable, especially if the current trend of over-weight, de-conditioned responders rises concurrently with the fatter population