What are stretchers

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1. WHAT ARE STRETCHERS?

2. STRETCHERS When a patient has to be moved for some distance, a stretcher should be used. A stretcher may be improvised out of light doors, a ladder or a gate. It should be padded with blankets, grasses or straw. You can also use two poles, a few feet longer than the patient, and a blanket, robe, sheltre -half, ground cloth or a strong sheet. Or, make holes in the bottom corners of two sacks and pass the poles through these. Two or three Scout shirts, sweaters or coats, turned inside out and buttoned up (push the pole through the sleeves) can also be used.

3. STRETCHERS If you cannot find poles, a stretcher can be made out of blankets. Lay the patient in the center of the blanket and roll the edges towards him. This requires at least two, and preferably three, bearers on each side. Whatever kind of stretcher you use, be sure it is tried out first whatever it is strong to bear the weight of the patient. A collapsing stretcher may cause further injury to the patient.

4. STRETCHERS LOADING THE PATIENT ON A STRETCHER Utmost caution must be exercised in loading, carrying and unloading an injured person from the stretcher. One person alone should give the orders. In loading an injured person into a stretcher, three bearers are necessary and a fourth is desirable. The following is Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in loading the patient into the stretcher:

5. STRETCHERS 1. Have three bearers take position at the side of the patient opposite any injury that may present. A fourth man should assist on the side opposite the middle bearer. 2 . The bearers kneel on their left knee on the patients injured side. One man takes position at the shoulder, one at the hips, and the third at the knees. The bearer at the shoulder puts one arm under the patients head, neck and shoulder and his other arm under the upper part of the patients back. 3 . The bearer at the knees places one arm under the patients knees and his other arm under the ankles.

6. STRETCHERS 4. The middle portion of the patients body is borne by the other bearer. When everyone is ready, they all lift together, and for support, they use their right bended knees to hold up the patient. The fourth bearer then places the stretcher under the patient. Finally, the patient is gently lowered to the stretcher with all bearers acting in unison. 5 . The patient should be carried feet first. The only exception is when carrying a patient up a hill, stairs or steep grades, when it is better to carry him head first. 6 . If unloading, the procedure is just the reverse of that described above.