Spinal Injury Management (v2)

The Spinal Injury Management course reviews patient situations that may require spinal motion restriction (SMR) and the assessment process for determining if it is necessary.

Changing concepts in spinal protection address the over reliance on mechanism of injury in suspecting spinal injury, the difficulty of achieving true spinal immobilization, and the discomfort and problems caused when attempting it. Spinal motion restriction, or SMR, focuses on an assessment-based decision process and the appropriate use of traditional spinal stabilization tools such as backboards when managing severely injured individuals.

Topics covered include:

• Current research and evidence-based recommendations for the use of SMR
• The procedural steps and proper technique for applying rigid SMR devices
• The assessment methodology for spinal cord injury patient care in instances of penetrating and blunt trauma

The course features Will Chapleau RN, EMT-P. Director, Performance Improvement, American College of Surgeons (ACS) Executive Services, Chicago, IL.