Proper Application of KED

[AnthonyM83]

This is similar to the previous KED thread, but I would like to specifically know the order people are being taught. I volunteered at paramedic skills testing for NR, recently, and I saw people using very different orders. I then looked at two videos online and my 2004 EMT skills handout and all three had different orders.

Does it matter what order the straps are put on? Does it matter what order they are tightened? Does it just matter that torso goes before head?

People at the skills testing were using My Baby Looks Hot Tonight (Middle, Bottom, Legs, Head, THEN back down to Top chest strap).

Also, I just saw that my EMT skills sheet said to loosely secure wrists with appropriate straps...I'll have to check the KED at work tomorrow, but I didn't even know they had wrist straps...must've confused them with carry handles.

[Just Plain Ruff]

just be careful of the twigs and berries with the leg straps.

[Chief1C]

just be careful of the twigs and berries with the leg straps.

Hopefully they tell the same thing to newbies with shears.

[akflightmedic]

OK, I went through this heavily a few years ago and I believe I have posted on it before.

Officially there is no set order OTHER than the head being last. When I say the head being last, that does not mean you cant tighten or at that time clip the top chest strap just prior to movement as long as you have sound reasoning for doing it that way. Confused yet?

Personally, it is best just to go ahead and clip all three straps for securing the device and having the straps out of your way but leave the top one loose.

The order of the straps is common sense if you think about the reasoning behind why.

My Baby looks hot tonight is a great tool for remembering.

Basically, you place the KED behind the individual.

To keep it in place, of course you connect the torso straps, however you DO NOT tighten the very top one.

Next you do the legs.

Then you do the head.

After the head is done you are almost ready for moevement, now you tighten or connect(if not already done) the top strap.

The reasoning for waiting on that very last strap is so you do not restrict the patients air movement/chest expansion while you are busy securing the legs and head.

Its bad enough they are being restrained to a board after a MVC without you restricting the amount or depth of breath they can take.

So officially, the last thing secured is the head. Nothing says you cant tighten or connect the top chest strap afterwards. It is not a critical, it is not a fail point.

As long as they dont do the head first, dont have excessive movement of the pt, and the pt is actually secured......I could care less what order they do the straps in as long as these are not violated.

I have always taught "my baby" and will continue to do so. None of my students have ever failed the KED station.

[SSG G-man]

In MD We are taught Middle Bottom Top. Which worked for the straps and the KED as a whole. We had to at least clip the top strap before going on, but could come back and tighten it later.

SARGE

[CBEMT]

Chest first. 1) Don't care, 2)don't care, 3) don't care, legs, head, re-tighten.

[DwayneEMTP]

The KEDs we had at school had the torso straps color coded, green (top), yellow (middle), red (bottom). I'll let you guess at the order they are asking for...after that, the order mentioned by others.

Dwayne