Stabilization is a process to help prevent a sick or injured person from having their medical condition deteriorate further too quickly before they can be treated in depth at a medical facility.
Stabilization is often performed by the
first person to arrive on scene,
EMTs, or
nurse
Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health c ...
s before or just after arrival in hospital. It includes controlling bleeding, arranging for proper
evacuation, keeping patients warm with blankets, and calming them by providing personal attention and concern for their well-being.
It is particularly important in
trauma
Trauma most often refers to:
* Major trauma, in physical medicine, severe physical injury caused by an external source
* Psychological trauma, a type of damage to the psyche that occurs as a result of a severely distressing event
*Traumatic i ...
cases where
spinal injury is suspected to immobilize the cervical spine, or back. Failure to do so can cause permanent paralysis or death. In the field,
spinal stabilization
Spine or spinal may refer to:
Science Biology
* Vertebral column, also known as the backbone
* Dendritic spine, a small membranous protrusion from a neuron's dendrite
* Thorns, spines, and prickles, needle-like structures in plants
* Spine (zoolo ...
involves moving the person's back as a single unit with as many as five rescuers assisting, then applying a
cervical collar
A cervical collar, also known as a neck brace, is a medical device used to support and immobilize a person's neck. It is also applied by emergency personnel to those who have had traumatic head or neck injuries, and can be used to treat chronic m ...
(which can be improvised from duct tape and cardboard), and securing victims to a solid-backed stretcher,
long spine board
A spinal board, is a patient handling device used primarily in pre-hospital trauma (medicine), trauma care. It is designed to provide rigid support during movement of a person with suspected spinal or limb injuries. They are most commonly used b ...
, or a
vacuum mattress
A vacuum mattress, or vacmat, is a medical device used for the immobilisation of patients, especially in case of a vertebra, pelvis or limb trauma (especially for femur trauma). It is also used for manual transportation of patients for short dist ...
.
Search and rescue
Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search ...
technicians trained in
wilderness first aid
A wilderness medical emergency is a medical emergency that takes place in a wilderness or remote setting affinitive care (hospital, clinic, etc.). Such an emergency can require specialized skills, treatment techniques, and knowledge in order to m ...
have a protocol for verifying that the spine has not been hurt (
clearing the cervical spine
Clearing the cervical spine is the process by which medical professionals determine whether cervical spine injuries exist, mainly regarding cervical fracture. It is generally performed in cases of major trauma. This process can take place in the e ...
) when the victim is several hours or more from the
hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment with specialized health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically has an emerge ...
and evacuation may not be indicated. Without this technique, it may be necessary to carry a suspected trauma victim out only to discover that he had no injury worthy of the effort and expense.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stabilization (Medicine)
Intensive care medicine
Emergency medical services