The brave new world of EMS spinal trauma management needs some new tools
"Our practice in EMS for decades has been to strap trauma patients to a rigid longboard in a supine position. This has been thought to protect the spine from further injury. We’ve all gotten pretty good at performing that technique, so we’re comfortable doing it.
Unfortunately that comfort is not shared by the patient. Being secured to a ongboard is not comfortable, it’s painful, and it can cause harm to the patient. Furthermore, there is no evidence that it actually makes a difference in patient outcome. So numerous EMS leaders are a sea change in EMS across the USA to stop using rigid longboards in the transport of trauma patients...
The Norwegian Lateral Trauma Position
Fortunately our EMS colleagues in Norway developed and have been utilizing a technique called the Lateral Trauma Position for over a decade, with success. What we seek to do here at the LateralTraumaPosition.org project is to take what the Norwegian EMS system started, and help our EMS colleagues in the USA develop this skill. We hope to provide you with information that can help you form your own clinical opinion and your own clinical practice."