Does your service provide you with restraints? (Poll)

[Fox800]

Just curious. I've worked at a few (mainly BLS) services that did not provide any restraint equipment. The protocols would say things like "bedsheets are the only approved restraint" or "contact law enforcement for assistance". Looking back, I'm glad that I never ran into a call where I needed them. The services were also small-town, collegiate agencies. We mainly ran on healthy college-aged folks, didn't have a ton of psychs/ODs/combative diabetics.

Luckily, my current employer provides soft restraints. We can use them without OLMC (thankfully) but are expected to use them appropriately.

 

[amberdt03]

We carry soft restraints and can use them anytime we feel necessary without contacting Med Control. I've never had to use them. Anytime we've had a violent patient, PD was already onscene and had the Pt handcuffed.

 

[TransportJockey]

All the services I've worked for provided some kind of restraints, usually soft Posey restraints. And we could use them, without calling, whenever we felt the need

 

[Shishkabob]

Does Rocuronium count?


As far as physical and not chemical restraints go, my current agency uses sheets / kerlex / police officers. When I was at AMR, we had soft restraints.

 

[MS Medic]

I voted no and we have to use other means, but that refers only to physical restraints. We carry haldol and versed and have protocols where we can give versed without contacting med control "if we feel we are in immediate danger" which gives us a loophole.

 

[MS Medic]

Just like Linuss, we use kerlex for physical restraints.

 

[reaper]

I use nothing but triangular bandages for restraints.

Plus we have Geodon and Ativan for chemical restraint.

 

[brentoli]

I've had a discussion before about a lock that you can fit around the release buttons on the cot straps. I can't remember if this was a real product or an idea for one. Anyone seen/heard of something like this?

 

[rwik123]

Boston ems has handcuffs (police ones)

 

[MS Medic]

I've had a discussion before about a lock that you can fit around the release buttons on the cot straps. I can't remember if this was a real product or an idea for one. Anyone seen/heard of something like this?

That product is real. Saw an advertisement in JEMS. Basically, it is a hard plastic cube that slides over the buckle and is pinned in place when you buckle the strap and there is a slit over the buckle that you need a regular key to fit through to unlock the stretcher.

 

[MS Medic]

Boston ems has handcuffs (police ones)

wow that is interesting. The reason for soft restraints of some type or another is you can quickly release the pt with a set of shears or with slip knots in an emergency. In MS,we aren't allowed to transport anyone in LEO restraints unless we have a cop in the back.

 

[Fox800]

Soft restraints are preferred here but if LE wants the patient handcuffed, they're staying handcuffed (within reason, obviously not if it's interfering with urgent care). Our policy says that handcuffed pt's must have LE either riding in the back or "immediately available" i.e. driving right behind you.

 

[Fox800]

I'm worried about cravats getting really tight around wrists/ankles and cutting off circulation. I can easily see it happening.

We use Poseys. They work pretty well. If Poseys and midazolam don't do the trick, the next thing would be handcuffs from LE.

 

[Bullets]

Yeah, cravats...
Just tie them into a prussik knot, only provides resistance when the patient pulls otherwise stays loose enough to not risk circulation cut off

 

[Sam Adams]

wow that is interesting. The reason for soft restraints of some type or another is you can quickly release the pt with a set of shears or with slip knots in an emergency.

If used appropriately and with knowledge so can cuffs. I believe the BEMS protocol states that once restrained, AND safe to do so, soft restraints are to be placed and the cuffs removed.

 

[Sam Adams]

Yeah, cravats...
Just tie them into a prussik knot

I just had to go reference my Boy Scout Handbook!

 

[Rowdy]

longboard + reeves sleeve

 

[ffemt8978]

We have soft restraints and the never fail, always reliable duct tape.

 

[feldy]

We use kravats and tie them so they wont be too tight unless the pt really pulls on them...usually after the first few tries, they stop resisting. I usually have to restrain once a shift (combative drunks). we dont have to radio in, just put them on and let the receiving hospital know in our radio report that restraints are on.

 

[rwik123]

If used appropriately and with knowledge so can cuffs. I believe the BEMS protocol states that once restrained, AND safe to do so, soft restraints are to be placed and the cuffs removed.

yeah i think your correct. The interesting thing about Boston ems is that they are "special" peace officers. They have a badge, cuffs, and even an asp baton. Its sort of a different breed of ems