New EMS Protocol for Spine-Injured Athletes

From the NATA News Blog:A dramatic protocol change in how Emergency Medical Services (EMS) will transport patients to hospitals is creeping up across the country. To be more specific, in certain cases with suspected cervical spine injury, EMS will no longer immobilize a patient to a spineboard for transport. Instead, patients may be transported with a cervical collar only and placed directly on the stretcher.It is strongly recommended that you contact your local EMS provider(s) to review their current protocols for immobilization and transfer of a suspected spine-injured athlete. Discuss how their changes impact your protocol for managing a spine-injured patient, including an equipment-intensive patient (i.e., athletes participating in football, ice hockey, etc.).Click here for more information.