Documentation in EMS

• Portable stretcher—this is a lightweight stretcher that does not have wheels and needs to be carried. • Scoop stretcher—this stretcher splits apart and comes together underneath the patient so the patient can be taken on the stretcher to the ambulance. C-spine immobilization should be done with a c-collar, if necessary. • Basket stretcher—this is a stretcher that is surrounded by a protective guard so as to lift the patient from the field into a rescue helicopter, if necessary. • Flexible stretcher—this is a foldable stretcher that can unfold in order to hold a patient. • Bariatric stretcher—this is a stretcher for people as large as 1600 pounds that would have to be used on these types of people. • Stair chair—this is a chair that has handles in order to carry a seated patient. • Backboard—this is used in order to have spinal immobilization of the patient that has both hand holds and belts to keep the patient affixed to the board. These boards float. • Vacuum mattress—this is a rigid mattress that has a vacuum creating the rigidity.

It is used for spinal immobilization. • KED—this is called the Kendrick Extrication Device. It is used to provide spinal immobilization to the patient who is seated, as can happen in a motor vehicle accident when the patient is still in a vehicle.

DOCUMENTATION IN EMS

Documentation in EMS systems is a necessity. You will need to use your skills to create a legible medical document that is also a legal record. Because this is a legal record you will have to potentially defend in court, you should be able to read it and you should be careful about what you put in it. There are things you need to do and not do as part of this documentation project.

Each document should stand alone. This means you should not copy information from a previous record about things like patient data, medications, and allergies. You should be specific about the symptoms the patient is describing, including quotations regarding