SPINAL IMMOBILIZATION
ALL LEVELS
You may elect to withhold spinal restriction and discontinue all spinal stabilization efforts if your patient meets ALL of the following criteria. Criteria includes seated patients when considering use of KED. Proceed immediately with spinal stabilization if patient fails to meet ANY of the following:
1. Patient Reliability:
a. Conscious, alert, and well oriented, not under suspicion or the influence of drugs, alcohol, or any other mind-altering substance.
b. Legal adult or emancipated minor and has no language or communication problems.
c. No suspicion of other major distracting injury.
d. No suspicion of head/brain injury.
2. Assess Spinal Column:
a. No complaints of pain, tenderness, numbness, etc., upon thorough palpation of the entire spinal column.
b. Spinal column has no visible or palpable abnormalities
3. Assess Sensory and Motor Function:
a. No sensory deficit.
b. No motor deficit
If the patient fails the above criteria place a C-collar and:
If ambulatory assist to stretcher
If non-ambulatory use rigid extrication device as needed to move patient to stretcher and then remove device if possible.
Utilize C-collar if patient is >65 y/o.
• Long spine boards (LSB) have not been shown to improve patient outcomes. The best use of the LSB is as an extrication device.
Patients should not be immobilized on a LSB, however if unconscious and/or unresponsive maintain use of LSB to aid in patient extrication.
ALL LEVELS
You may elect to withhold spinal restriction and discontinue all spinal stabilization efforts if your patient meets ALL of the following criteria. Criteria includes seated patients when considering use of KED. Proceed immediately with spinal stabilization if patient fails to meet ANY of the following:
1. Patient Reliability:
a. Conscious, alert, and well oriented, not under suspicion or the influence of drugs, alcohol, or any other mind-altering substance.
b. Legal adult or emancipated minor and has no language or communication problems.
c. No suspicion of other major distracting injury.
d. No suspicion of head/brain injury.
2. Assess Spinal Column:
a. No complaints of pain, tenderness, numbness, etc., upon thorough palpation of the entire spinal column.
b. Spinal column has no visible or palpable abnormalities
3. Assess Sensory and Motor Function:
a. No sensory deficit.
b. No motor deficit
If the patient fails the above criteria place a C-collar and:
If ambulatory assist to stretcher
If non-ambulatory use rigid extrication device as needed to move patient to stretcher and then remove device if possible.
Utilize C-collar if patient is >65 y/o.
• Long spine boards (LSB) have not been shown to improve patient outcomes. The best use of the LSB is as an extrication device.
Patients should not be immobilized on a LSB, however if unconscious and/or unresponsive maintain use of LSB to aid in patient extrication.