C-Spine Immobilization Research Paper

Imagine you got in a car accident and damaged your neck. Would you want a properly trained emergency medical technician who knew how to prevent your neck from further injury? Knowing how to immobilize the cervical spine in the EMT field is a very important first step in trauma care, and it can go wrong in many ways. The cervical spine can compromise the airway and put the rest of your body in potentially damaging positions; if you incorrectly perform a cervical spine immobilization, then you can permanently damage a person for the rest of their life. There are many steps that you need to follow every time you perform c-spine immobilization, and it is important to do them correctly.
The first part of c-spine immobilization is the most important
The cervical collar is a rigid collar that holds the neck in the same position that holding traction on the neck would. However, the collar does not immobilize the cervical spine completely, so even after the collar is on, you are required to hold traction on the neck. According to AAOS, “A cervical collar should be applied to every patient who has a possible spinal injury based on the MOI (mechanism of injury, or how they got injured), history, or signs and symptoms” (Pollak 916). The sizing of a cervical collar needs to fit the individual in order for it to work properly. According to AAOS, “It should rest on the shoulder girdle and provide firm support under both sides of the mandible, without obstructing the airway or ventilation efforts in any way” (Pollak 916-917). The process of applying a cervical collar starts with one EMT holding traction on the head. While this is happening, another EMT will prepare to place the collar on the patient. To prepare the cervical collar, the EMT will measure the collar to find the proper fit. If the collar fits incorrectly, there is opportunity for further injury to occur. If there is not a collar that will fit the patient, the EMT will improvise and find another method to hold the head in the appropriate position. The next step to applying a cervical collar is to place the chin support
C-spine immobilization can be completed in many different positions. The mechanism of injury and the position of the patient will determine what type of method needs to be used during c-spine immobilization. Immobilization can occur on a patient while they are supine (on their back), while they are seated, or while they are standing. No matter what position the patient is in, the proper technique needs performed every time.
Having properly trained EMTs to do their job is very important, otherwise patients can add stress to a pre-existing injury. If a patient fractured their cervical spine and an EMT improperly performed cervical spine immobilization, then both the EMT and the patient would have problems. The patient could receive life threatening injuries, such as paralysis or problems with their airway, and the EMT can get sued by the patient’s family for being negligent. Doing cervical spine immobilization is very important to both the EMT and the patient, otherwise many complications can arise for everyone