Patient Securing Straps: Use them All, Every Time 

As fire and EMS professionals, we strive to make the safety of our crew and our patients a priority. We make every effort to provide the best care while not causing harm. Unfortunately, there is a very common practice we follow that can lead to injury. As though it were an unspoken tradition, many of us ignore the use of all safety straps and belts to properly secure our patients to cots and other movement devices. The reasons why this occurs may differ. Some say they were taught that it’s OK, others may think the time to secure a belt delays transport, and others, well, might just be a little complacent and lazy. We need to do better, because the danger of that rare event far outweighs any rationale not to use them.  

When your cot or stretcher manufacturer built and delivered your device, there’s a very good chance it came with three crossing belts to secure the legs, pelvic area and upper torso. They also came with two straps for securing the shoulders. All too often, we will place a patient on a cot and secure the legs, pelvic area, and usually the chest, but leave the shoulder straps tucked in behind the mattress. We may think it’s unlikely they’ll be needed, but when they are needed but not used, it can result in serious injury and serious liability. The simple act of a wheel catching, causing a stretcher to tip can reveal how important it is for all straps to be used. When unsecured patients start to fall off the cot, this can end in catastrophe. An unfortunate and unavoidable collision during transport can end in the patient being partially ejected off the head of the cot or flung around like a rag doll, especially in a rollover. Both cases have occurred many times and are often a guarantee when the tip or crash happens and the patient isn’t properly secured. Shoulder straps and 3 crossing straps will help to prevent those injuries. Also, it goes without saying, the manufacturers put them there for a reason and not using them means you aren’t using the tool as designed.  

It is time to stop being complacent, we know better. Learn about the safety devices on your patient moving equipment. Train your teammates on their proper use and why they need to be used. Use all the straps and belts, every time, to be assured you did all you could to protect your patient. You don’t know when there will be a tip or a crash, so you need to use all of them, every time.