Do you change sheets?

[FNGfirstresponder]

So I go to enroll in school Monday and there is a nursing home across the street. As I am leaving I see an ambulance at the home, and one of the crew is bringing the stretcher back out to the truck, guess they brought patient back from hospital. The guy takes the sheet off, flips it over and puts it back on the stretcher. GROSS! does everyone do this? Should I report them?

[JPINFV]

Change the sheets, every patient, every time, even if I end up transporting a patient on the facility's sheets.

[hatelilpeepees]

I think we would be lying if we said we had never done it. You should not do it though,but u don't know that might have been there last sheet and they were planning on changing it before the next call.

[ERDoc]

I think we would be lying if we said we had never done it. You should not do it though,but u don't know that might have been there last sheet and they were planning on changing it before the next call.

In 10 years in the field, I can honestly say I NEVER did that. The sheets should be changed between every pt and the stretcher wiped down. This reduces disease transmission of things such as MRSA, VRE, etc.

[JPINFV]

I think we would be lying if we said we had never done it. You should not do it though,but u don't know that might have been there last sheet and they were planning on changing it before the next call.

Nope. Never done it, even to much chagrin to some partners (especially at the slow service where it was almost guaranteed that the next transport would be a return trip for the patient we just brought to dialysis). I think this is one of the biggest benefits of disposable sheets. Regardless of whether the patient laid on the sheets or was draw sheeted over on facility sheets, the disposable sheet covering the gurney would be destroyed all the same, thus necessitating replacement.

Just as important, is it really that hard to simply do your (generic "you") job properly? It takes, what, 30 seconds to replace sheets?

Edited October 5, 2011 by JPINFV

[HellsBells]

No most crews dont do this. You're right, it is gross. Additionaly, I don't know why anyone would flip the sheet, as it takes about the same amount of effort to throw on a clean one.

As for reporting them, thats a judgement call you'll have to make. Just remember, EMS is a smaller community than you think, and you have to choose your battles wisely.

[ERDoc]

I can't speak for anywhere else, but in New York State we were required to carry a certain number of sheet sets in order to stay in-service.

[brentoli]

Disposable sheets are SO expensive in the long run. Thankfully we use hospital sheets here. None the less, you get on the cot, sheets get changed. Doesn't matter if you were bleeding, puking, or just on for a taxi ride. All linens are replaced, even the towels and blankets if they didn't touch you.

[nypamedic43]

I change the sheets, every patient, every time. You just don't ever know what they may have lurking in their nether regions. In NY, we have to carry 3 sealed sheets, 3 sealed pillowcases and 3 sealed towels. We then stock that cabinet with extra sheets, bath blankets and towels. We also have to have a sealed state bag that contains, towels, sheets, blankets, pillows ( we put inflatable ones in it for the sake of room), plus surgical masks, bandages etc etc etc. So if we ever get inspected while on a call, and they ask to see such and such...we pull out that bag and say here ya go. NY also requires a set of mast pants.

We are also licensed in PA, so we have yet another sealed bag for that and one specifically for peds patients. NYS also requires that we use shoulder straps along with the stretcher straps. So the patient looks like they are ready to do a road race lol! I don't like using them because of cross contamination but I use them and take a couple airx75 wipes and wipe them down every time. There's too much methyl ethyl bad stuff out there that can infect others through cross contamination to not wipe everything down.

Better safe than sorry

[hatelilpeepees]

What about blankets? Do u carry enough for each patient or do patients share