Equipment 8-216 - Cot

CMH EMS & MIH Protocols

Scope of Practice:

• Emergency Medical Responder
• Emergency Medical Technician
• Advanced Emergency Medical Technician
• Registered Nurse
• Paramedic

Indications:

• Need to move a non-ambulatory patient.

Contraindications:

• None.

Precautions:

• Always secure the patient using all restraint straps and keep side rails up.
• Utilize a minimum of 2 lifting persons when a patient is on the cot.
• Utilize four or more lifting persons, if possible, over rough terrain or overweight patients.
• Do not allow the x-frame to drop unassisted.

Generic Procedure:

• Consider Stair Chair.
• Utilize all provided safety restraint systems on every patient.
• To raise or lower cot, both ends must be lifted prior to squeezing handle.
• Use the appropriate number of people to lift based on the patient weight:
• If patient 0-200 pounds, use two or more people to lift.
• If patient 200-400 pounds, use four or more people to lift.
• If patient 400-600 pounds, use eight or more people to lift.
• If patient greater than 600 pounds, special lifting and transport should be considered.

X-Frame Procedure:

• Loading with a patient:
• Place loading wheels in ambulance and safety bar past the safety hook.
• Operator at foot lifts cot and squeezes and holds handle.
• Assistant at side raises undercarriage.
• Push cot into ambulance and secure it.
• Unloading with a patient:
• Disengage cot from fastener.
• Pull cot out of ambulance.
• Assistant grasps the undercarriage and lifts slightly.
• Operator at foot squeezes handle.
• Assistant lowers undercarriage to the ground.
• Operator at foot releases handle to lock undercarriage down.
• Assistant releases safety bar from safety hook.
• Loading empty cot (one operator):
• Place loading wheels in ambulance and safety bar past the safety hook.
• Lift bumper to raised position.
• Operator at foot lifts cot and squeezes and holds handle.
• Operator lowers foot end of cot to the floor to collapse undercarriage.
• Release handle to lock in lowered position.
• Raise, push into ambulance, and secure cot.
• Unloading empty cot (one operator):
• Disengage cot from fastener.
• Pull cot out of ambulance.
• Lower cot to the ground, squeeze handle, raise cot, and release handle.
• Release safety bar from safety hook.

H-Frame Procedure:

• Loading with a patient:
• Place cot in loading position
• Place both loading wheels are on the patient compartment floor.
• Assistant unlocks frame.
• Operator lifts foot end of cot and squeezes control handle.
• Assistant lifts undercarriage.
• Operator pushes cot into patient compartment, releases handle, and secures it.
• Unloading with a patient:
• Disengage cot from fastener.
• Pull cot out of ambulance.
• Assistant lowers undercarriage to the ground and ensures it locks down.
• Place cot in rolling position.
• Loading empty cot (one operator):
• Place cot in loading position.
• Place both loading wheels on the patient compartment floor.
• Unlock frame.
• Operator lifts foot end of cot and squeezes control handle.
• Operator pushes cot into patient compartment, releases handle, and secures it.
• Unloading empty cot (one operator):
• Disengage cot from fastener.
• Pull cot out of ambulance.
• Place cot in rolling position.

Pedi-Mate Procedure:

• Use for all patients smaller than 40 lbs.
• Raise cot backrest to full upright position.
• Wrap Pedi-

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Polk, Hickory, Cedar, & St Clair County EMS Protocols is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.