Electric stretchers???

[dana3157p]

Has anyone used the electric stretchers? We just put one into service and I'm not "feeling" it...I've heard thru the grape vine a stair chair is supposed to accompany these beast...anyone know anything about this?

[spenac]

Love the power stretchers. Back savers. You can still use the power cot manually, just use the red handles, if its red on stryker it makes something move. Hardest thing is learning to let it do the work for you.

Stryker does have a nice newer stair chair that is also easier to get patients up and down stairs but it is a separate purchase.

[mobey]

The cot is heavier so you utilize a stair chair more often.

I am not sure what your asking?

I personally love the thing. Especially for transfers where you go up and down multiple times.

Now if they can just come up with a way to load without using your back.

[spenac]

Now if they can just come up with a way to load without using your back.

Thats where England is way ahead. They have ambulances that the back door lowers and you push cot onto it raise and then push cot. No lifting. Theres pics and discussion on here somewhere on a topic I started probably a year back.

http://www.emtcity.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.ph...46&start=45

[Richard B the EMT]

My problem is probably that even a power-lift stretcher, sooner or later, is going to need to transverse deep shifting sand, or staircases. then, the crew has to "dead-lift" the thing and carry it's additional weight of the lifting mechanism. And also, ramps, or "lift-gates" on vehicles are always going to fail at the most inopportune moment, or be blocked by parked cars, who's drivers don't know what "Keep Back 200 Feet" signs on emergency vehicle rears mean! These same drivers will pull lead pipes out to hit you, if you should even fog up their windows with your breath.

[Christopher.Collins]

Ive only used the Stryker model power stretchers and I love them. I was skeptical at first because hell, you never know when equipment will fail, and of course murphys law will make it fail when in use. Fortunatley it can be operated manually as allready said, it just weighs a "few" extra pounds more.

The only thing that can be a bit of a pain (IMO in the patients perspective) is they tend to jolt/bounce a little when you move it up or down electronically.

Cant remember off hand whos putting it out (saw it in an ad in JEMS) but a new power stretcher has an optional charging device built into the mounting brackets in the ambulance. So you can charge the batteries already on the cot while its loaded.

Not sure about the stair chair, would love to see a power one that makes thoes treads climb up stairs.

[steve_emt_68]

I was very reluctant about the stryker power cot at first. I have come to love it now. Our service is primarily critical transfers so the extra 40lbs is not a big deal. We recommend that both partners lift the foot end to load in the ambulance with one person operating the controls when you have a larger than average patient. I have had a 600lber on the cot and it worked great.

I would not want to use it for 911 calls as the additional weight of the cot will catch up with you at the end of the day.

[reaper]

I love them, Best thing to come in years.

I never really have a need to take it in the house much. they can either go out by stair-chair or LSB.

[spenac]

I would not want to use it for 911 calls as the additional weight of the cot will catch up with you at the end of the day.

Actually we use them in 911 and I would not want to go back. The lifting assistance it gives you greatly offsets the little extra weight. We take it in all houses except where lots of steps. Same as with our old cots. Once you go power you never go back.

[akroeze]

So the question then is how does one convince an employer to put out the considerably more expense for one especially when they have a fleet of working stretchers already.

I don't know of a single service in the entire province of Ontario who uses them.