The Clinical Skills of Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Personnel Regarding Spinal Immobilization of Trauma Victims; a Cross Sectional Study

INTRODUCTION: Spinal immobilization is the most important measure the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) has to take when facing the victims of traumatic events, especially those with confirmed or suspected traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI). The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical skills of EMS personnel regarding the spinal immobilization of trauma victims. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the clinical skills of EMS personnel, regarding spinal immobilization of trauma victims during a 1-year period in 2019. EMS personnel were selected via convenience sampling method. Data collection tools were a demographic questionnaire and a researcher-made checklist to assess clinical skills. The face and content validity of the tool was reviewed and approved by 10 experts. Also, the overall reliability coefficient for the skills was 0.98. Data were collected by the researcher through observing the skills performed, and filling out the clinical skills checklist accordingly. RESULTS: The mean overall score of the clinical skills of the 120 participants regarding spinal immobilization of trauma victims in supine, prone, and sitting positions were 0.60 ± 1.44, 0.58 ± 1.42 and 0.65 ± 1.62, respectively. Most of the studied personnel had moderate clinical skills in spinal immobilization, and they had poor clinical skills required to correctly pull the trauma victims in the longitudinal axis of the body to put them on a long backboard and immobilize their torso, legs, and head using the Kendrick Extrication Device (KED). CONCLUSION: The studied EMS personnel had moderate clinical skills regarding the spinal immobilization of trauma victims. It is recommended that the EMS training programs focus more on the practical aspects of clinical skills in addition to theoretical aspects.