Current spinal board usage in emergency departments across the UK

• Published in: Injury Vol. 34; no. 5; pp. 327 - 329
• Main Authors: Malik, M.H.A., Lovell, M.E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-05-2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: Ambulances; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Emergency and intensive care: techniques, logistics; Emergency Medical Services - methods; Equipment Safety - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Intensive care medicine; Intensive care unit. Emergency transport systems. Emergency, hospital ward; Medical sciences; Transportation of Patients - methods; United Kingdom; United Kingdom; Europe; Human; Evaluation; Questionnaire; Spine; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Spine disease; Epidemiology; Trauma; Prehospital period; Board; Application method; Technique; Emergency; Transport
• ISSN: 0020-1383; 1879-0267
• DOI: 10.1016/S0020-1383(02)00314-5

The spinal board is widely used as a means of extrication and efficient transport during the pre-hospital phase of trauma management. A number of concerns have been raised regarding its subsequent usage once the patient arrives in the emergency department. We undertook a telephone study of 100 A+E departments in the United Kingdom to ascertain current spinal board usage. Our study demonstrated great variability in practice across the UK and a marked lack of on-going audit or defined protocols governing spinal board usage following the pre-hospital phase of trauma management.