Re: standard of care

[Wildmedic17@aol.com]

Debi,
       There are no "universal" standards of care regarding these issues - all programs make there own policies. 
       Where I work, when we are taking a patient out to the helicopter from the hospital, we usually have a nurse or an aide or two accomany us to give us a hand, or often an ambulance crew will be there to help. The pilot helps, too. We do usually place a couple straps over the helicopter litter, but even without them, it usually moves very little because the litter wheels sink into the soft gurney mattress. Where each crew member stands is not an issue.....we just walk along close to the patient, pushing the stretcher, holding monitors and pumps and oxygen bottles and such in place and keeping a close eye on the patient.       
       As far as loading hot or cold....we almost always load cold on a transfer, because there are usually untrained people around helping out, and it is much easier for the crew to communicate and get things situated without the noise of the engines blades....an obvious safety issue. The only exception to this might be with a very unstable patient and only trained people helping us load - it really would just depend on the situation and the judgement of the flight crew. 
       Like I said, each program makes their own policies regarding these issues. However,  the answers to most of these questions would probably not even depend so much on program policies as on the individual situation and the crews' judgement.....the transport environment is too dynamic to try to regulate every little factor. So the standard of care is simply to keep safety and the well-being of the patient as top priorities. 
       Why do you ask?

Allan
Flight Paramedic

In a message dated 7/26/02 1:33:26 AM Eastern Daylight Time, DebZeglin@aol.com writes:


> I am looking for the standard of care  when transporting a patient via a hospital gurney from the hospital to the helipad  and vice versa.  For example is there a standrad as to how many crew members should be with the patient and where each of the crew should be situated?  Also , Is there a standard of care re  securing the patient litter  to the hospital gurney?  Is there a standard of care re the decision to hot-load a patient?  IF  you have wheels on your litter, is there a standard of care that says these wheels should be turned out when the litter is put on the gurney to prevent sliding off the gurney?   Looking forward to your relies.   
>
> Debi Zeglin, 
> UCAN