Splints

[Chief1C]

I wanna know how to make a traction splint, with a SAM Splint.

[tskstorm]

I'm going to make an educated guess that our new friend here is pretty fresh out of AIT and looking at his first deployment. His "hooah" enthusiasm and go/no-go judgments are pretty typical of an 18-19yo E2/E3 with no real experience.

To Doc D, this is not meant as an insult to you. I love your enthusiasm and pride, and it's important to have. But slow down a minute and take a little time to think about what you say in your posts. You seem to genuinely want to learn and engage with people here and that's great! There is a lot of great information to be found here and eons of experience to pull from among the members. But keep in mind that this isn't a military forum. Going all hooah on people won't get you much. Also realize that you are taught very specific skills in AIT for very specific circumstances that are very different from what most folks here operate under. And those AIT skills, though great building blocks, are not the only or even best way of doing things - even in the Army. As you advance in your career, especially thru deployments, you are going to learn many ways of doing things, many new skills, and develop your own style. Even in the Army, every medic has their own style, every team has their own system, and every unit has their own SOP. The best thing you can do here and in the field is to observe as much as possible, take bits from what you learn and find your own style outside of what instructors have drilled into you. Good luck and feel free to ask any questions.

+1

[maverick56]

Yeah, I cut these guys some slack. The sand box was an... interesting experience to somebody in their 30's who had years of medical and military experience. I think doing it as a kiddo out of AIT would even harder IMHO.

Take care,

chbare.

Yeah, you grow up overnight and learn even faster or your buddies die. I was a 100% different medic after my first 2 months, and I had over 2yrs in and my EFMB before shipping.

[Richard B the EMT]

As already noted in other strings, I am a part of an urban system. I would be doing things differently if I was out in either the countryside, or wilderness. I have no clue as to how I'd work in a military firefight, even after my current 37 years of EMS. Also take note, where I work, under normal circumstances, I am within 10 to 30 minutes travel time of either an "appropriate" emergency room, or a trauma center. I know some here on EMT City are sometimes 24 hours from a hospital, period.

Re splinting in general, I splint when I suspect a bone fracture, the theory I am following being bone ends grating against each other during transport can hurt, and cause damage in their own right. Splinting, to a degree, stabilizes the break.

Again outside my own experience, I know many here (not in the US) swear by immobilizing with a "Vacuum Mattress", instead of other splints or the long backboard.

I would hazard a statement that no matter what we use, each of us to our own "Local Area", it will be influenced by what the local authority allows you to use, and also what your agency has in the stock pile for your use.

Having stated that, I did have at least one occasion when I splinted a leg using a copy of the New York Times newspaper.

[aussiephil]

Again outside my own experience, I know many here (not in the US) swear by immobilizing with a "Vacuum Mattress", instead of other splints or the long backboard.

I am curious Richard. There has been a number of threads discussing long back boards. None of them to my recollection call it a 'splint'. A long backboard is an extrication device. Nothing more, nothing less. They are uncomfortable, Dont splint effectivley as they leave to many anatomical spaces & by design (as an extrication device) are slipery so the patient will move around on them.

I read today in a thread, i dont recall which one, about patient advocacy, standing up for the rights of the patient. I have also heard "Thats what our Protocols are' once too often. Protocols can get changed with good, factually based arguments. Be an advocate for your future patients & fight useing a long back board as anything other than an extrication device.

[gemini1030]

For a pelvic fracture why not use the KED?

We do not use the SAM splint we use an AOA. It works. I have used them before and do like the SAM splint for hands and wrists but not so much for longer bones . I am curious also about using the SAM as a traction splint. I realize that I am still a newbie but can not picture it.

Thanks

[Chief1C]

I doubt he has a KED in his medical bag. But the SAM II would fit, and it comes in OD. Used one a couple weeks ago, Medium Sling. Very useful, took away some of the pt's pain.

I still wanna know how to make a traction splint, with a SAM. Literally. Like, with a video, that's something that I'll have to see to learn.

Edited June 3, 2010 by 4c6

[tskstorm]

I read today in a thread, i dont recall which one, about patient advocacy, standing up for the rights of the patient. I have also heard "Thats what our Protocols are' once too often. Protocols can get changed with good, factually based arguments. Be an advocate for your future patients & fight useing a long back board as anything other than an extrication device.

Here the protocols are written by a board of doctors, there are 2 Paramedics who sit on the board as observers only, they may occasionally add in something function a Dr. may not think about, but there are no EMT's ... Protocols here are changed based on how many times NYC gets sued.

[aussiephil]

Here the protocols are written by a board of doctors, there are 2 Paramedics who sit on the board as observers only, they may occasionally add in something function a Dr. may not think about, but there are no EMT's ... Protocols here are changed based on how many times NYC gets sued.

I still stand by the fact that if you, as an educated person source appropriate research, present it in an appropriate manner, then while it may take time to change, it will work. One only needs to sow the seed into the minds for it to come to fruition. Baby steps. But, regardless, it can still work.

[wallya]

New EMT's usually know only what they are taught and seldom are taught to improvise or adapt to what they have available. As a paramedic I love to see the look on new EMT's faces when I use a pillow and some tape for a splint. You have to love old school.