subject: Medical Stretchers: Essential Medical Equipment [print this page] Medical Stretchers have been used for the safe movement of casualties since ancient times, when they were often used in lieu of wheeled transport. Typically used over rough terrain where ancient wheels could not tread as easily, these primitive medical stretchers were usually just man-sized litters or baskets hitched onto shoulder poles. Unlike today's extremely mobile and sturdy varieties, ancient ones were made of simple materials and required at least two people to carry. Today however, these need only one attendant, and, depending on one's definition (for advanced technology keeps blurring the lines between different classes of emergency rescue equipment), sometimes none at all, other than the person being transported, in the case of any number of self-propelled electric devices.
No one knows when the medical stretcher was first invented, but it is likely that they predate the wheel, as tow-along sleds had long been used by many societies the world over. It is likely that these sleds, dragged along over the ground, were simply picked up in the case of people for whom such rough and tumble transport could have been injurious - namely, battlefield casualties and the old or sick. Domesticated animals such as horses and cattle may have been available for such uses as well, but nothing beats the supine or prone positioning offered by a stretcher.
And today's modern medical stretcher offers even more comfort in almost any environment. They are also very versatile and may even serve as full-fledged hospital beds, depending on the model, and can also serve as gurneys. Features such as collapsibility and locking castors provide for a wide variety of uses in an equally broad range of situations. Ergonomic straps and other tie-downs are employed to prevent the further aggravation of injuries. Indeed, speaking of injuries, a good one not only helps to prevent them in the patient but also helps prevent injuries to rescue personnel and other caregivers as well. Through superior construction and quality materials, a well thought-out design can significantly enhance rescue efforts in many ways.
These devices need not always be used for emergency work, but may double, as previously noted, as simple hospital beds and gurneys for patients requiring nothing more than comfort. And a medical stretcher is not always the most appropriate equipment for many cases where other hardware would be of more help, such as wheelchairs. But they are indispensable hardware to modern health care and rescue work, and remain the preeminent equipment of choice - as they have ever been.
