Spine boards, also called spinal boards, are stiff boards used to immobilize and transport individuals suffering from serious injuries like neck or spinal injuries. Spine boards are typically used by various types of emergency response personnel, primarily to safely remove patients from vehicles, according to Trauma.org.
Standard Spinal Board Techniques
Depending on what situation emergency personnel may find themselves in with a potential spinal patient, different techniques will be applied in order to keep a patient as immobile as possible. Some of these techniques include the log roll, otherwise known as the flip-and-strip, straddle lift, standing long board and sitting long board.
Using Spinal Board Techniques
The log roll is considered the most common and popular of the spinal board maneuvers. It is believed to maintain adequate spinal alignment and allows the patients clothing to be easily removed. Additionally, it allows the patient to be easily examined and placed fairly quickly onto the spinal board. Another maneuver commonly used is the straddle lift, a technique in which officers will straddle the body of a patient and gently lift the patient onto the spinal board.
According to Neann, a company that designs and supplies prehospital emergency equipment, approximately 17 to 25 percent of patients with spinal injuries are walking around at the scene of the motor crash. In this situation, officers at the scene can use the technique referred to as the standing long board. This technique allows a patient to be transferred onto a spinal board and immobilized from a standing position. Similarly the sitting long board technique is used on patients who are in a seated position and whose spines require immobilization.
Other Considerations and Regulations
Trauma.org indicates that the prolonged use of a spinal board can lead to pressure injuries. In order to prevent such injuries, the spinal board should be removed in all patients soon after arrival in accident and emergency departments, according to a January 2001 edition of the "Emergency Medicine Journal." When restraints are removed, it is important for officers or medical personnel to maintain manual protection of a patient's spine.
Maintenance
As immobilization is the goal in using a spinal board, maintaining the integrity of the board is extremely important. Neann recommends that the spinal boards be examined daily for any cracks or damage. Additionally, it's important to maintain the sleek surface of the spinal board in order to efficiently slide patients on and off. This can be done by occasionally using a vehicle-polishing compound. Furthermore, the board and all its components including clips, straps and carrier bags should be cleaned and sterilized from all types of bodily fluids, preferably with an antibacterial solution. This can normally be done with a sponge; however with heavier saturation of bodily fluids, soaking components for up to two hours may be necessary. Finally, disposable head blocks used to secure a patient's head and neck should be disposed of in an "approved infectious waste bin" and never reused.
