An ambulance is often the first to arrive at an accident or emergency scene. And for a good reason. The ambulance, its crew, and equipment all help to save lives.
Ambulances carry various special emergency equipment to help in their life-saving mission. Paramedics use the equipment to keep victims alive until advanced care is available.
Some of the equipment you’ll find in an ambulance are spine boards, ambulance stretchers, splints, cervical collars, and other things（such as the defibrillator, sphygmomanometer, stethoscope, thermometer, etc）to ensure the better rescue of patients!
The equipment help paramedics handle various medical emergencies, especially those involving broken bones.
Read on to learn more about spine boards, stretchers, splints, and cervical collars. We’ll examine some of their features and show you how to use them.
Spine Boards
Spine boards, also known as trauma boards, are crucial in situations that involve:
- Spinal bone dislocation or injuries
- Hip fractures
- Pelvic instabilities
- Limb injuries
A spine board allows paramedics to prevent movements that could worsen an injury. Once you fasten a patient to it, they remain immobile until advanced care is available.
But why is it crucial to keep these patients immobile?
Movement in the injured area can trigger further complications or even cause paralysis.
Many spine boards have attachable foam padding and extra straps. Foam padding helps keep the head and neck area still. And straps tie down the rest of the body to prevent movement.
You can also use head immobilizers to keep the head still during transportation.
Manufacturers design spine boards with their functionality in mind. What features must spine boards have to make them effective in their function? We find out below.
Spine Boards Must Be Sturdy And Light
Spine boards must be sturdy enough to support the patient’s body weight. Moreover, they must be lightweight to make it easier to lift the patient.
That’s why they’re made from high-density polyethylene plastics. You may also come across wooden spine boards, but these are rare.
Spine Boards Must Ease Medical Inspection
Spine boards must allow medical personnel to inspect injuries without moving the patient. Hence, their design should support the use of X-rays, CT scans, and MRI.
Spine Boards Must Be Buoyant
Some emergencies need water rescue. A buoyant spine board makes such a rescue easier.
Ambulance Stretchers
When a patient is too injured or ill to take themselves to a hospital, paramedics do the job. Ambulance stretchers come in handy. Without paramedics, it would be difficult to move the patient. They keep the patient steady and safe until they reach the hospital’s emergency room.
Stretchers come in different forms, but certain features set ambulance stretchers apart. How are they different?
Ambulance stretchers are more versatile than traditional hospital stretchers. Their versatile features include:
A Lightweight Frame
Ambulance stretchers have aluminum frames, making them strong, light-weight, and durable. Their lightness allows easy loading and unloading of patients from the ambulance.
They Are Transformable
Ambulance stretchers are crucial in emergencies. They can support patients whether they’re lying down or sitting up. Some stretchers even come with adjustable head and foot sections.
They Have Bariatric Features
Ambulance stretchers can support patients whose weight is over the standard. Bariatric stretchers lie lower near the ground level, making it easy to load the patient. They also come with strong handles to make it easier to push and pull them.
Splints
Splints are first aid equipment that helps keep a broken or displaced bone in position. They can either be flexible or rigid. Further, they:
- Help to provide pain relief. When the broken bones are held in position, the patient experiences relief from pain.
- Support bone ends at the fracture site. Broken bones have sharp ends. Splints help to keep them from protruding through tissue and skin.
- Assist paramedics in transporting patients to a health facility.
- Substitute weak muscles by holding the dislocated bone in position.
- Maintain or restore a range of motions.
Types Of Splints
There are many types of splints in the market. Each is designed for a specific musculoskeletal condition.
The table below shows some splints and where they’re used.
| Injury area | Type of splint used |
| Forearm and wrist | ● Single sugar-tong ● Dorsal forearm ● Volar forearm |
| Finger and hand | ● Radial gutter ● Thumb spica ● Ulnar gutter |
| Fibula and tibia | ● Posterior ankle |
| Foot | ● Hand-soled shoe ● Posterior ankle with or without a toe box ● High-top walking boot |
| Knee | ● Posterior knee ● Off the shelf immobilizer |
Cervical Collars
Cervical collars are also known as neck collars or neck braces. They’re soft, squishy, and stiff collars that patients wear following an accident. You may also have noticed patients who have undergone neck surgery wearing them.
Paramedics use these collars to keep a patient’s neck in position and limit movement. They’re particularly handy in handling light accidents. They prevent the patient from moving their neck and head until doctors can access the injury.
There are three types of cervical collars. They include:
- Soft collars
- Rigid collars
- Sports collars
Soft Cervical Collars
Soft cervical collars are made from various materials, including:
- Polyethylene
- Foam rubber
- Inflatable cuffs
These collars fit around a patient’s neck while allowing a limited range of movement. They allow backward and forward head movement but not sideways.
Paramedics will use this cervical collar for a patient suspected to have:
- Chronic neck pains—especially among the elderly
- Neck sprains
- Whiplash
Rigid Cervical Collars
Rigid cervical collars consist of plastic shells enclosing a vinyl or foam core. They’re also designed to cover the entire area between a patient’s jaw and collar bone.
They have the most rigid and restrictive design of the three collar types. Paramedics use these to rescue patients with severe neck, cervical, or head injuries. These are the same cervical collars that patients who’ve undergone neck surgery wear.
Sports Collars
Sports collars are unique rigid collars that you see race drivers wearing. ATV riders, motocross drivers, and other extreme sports participants also wear this collar. Their stiff design cushions their necks against injuries during collisions and sudden stops.
You’ll likely find these collars on ambulances stationed near extreme sporting locations.
Conclusion
An ambulance is vital in emergency situations. Without them, many emergency victims wouldn’t make it to hospitals alive.
Ambulances have special equipment to help deal with various emergencies. They include spine boards, splints, stretchers, and cervical collars, among others.
Paramedics accompany ambulances to emergency scenes to help in rescue missions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which medical equipment do paramedics use in an ambulance?
The medical equipment used by paramedics depends on the patient’s condition. But they’ll always carry a thermometer, a stethoscope, and a sphygmomanometer. They use these tools to examine a patient’s vital life signs. Temperature, heartbeat, and blood pressure are the most critical signs.
What is the name of the bed found in ambulances?
It’s called a wheeled stretcher, although some paramedics call it a gurney, cart, or trolley. It’s used to transfer a patient from an emergency scene into an ambulance.
What’s inside a paramedic’s emergency kit?
The kit has tools to help them carry out first aid, signal rescues, and protect themselves from danger. These tools include a first aid kit, a water container, and a blanket, among others. You’ll also find a whistle, Swiss army knife, and toiletries in these kits.
Sources
John Hopkins Medicine: CT scan Versus MRI Versus X-ray: What Type of Imaging Do I need?
Stanford Health Care: Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure
University of Michigan Health: CPAP therapy for Obstructive Sleep Apnea
