The trauma log roll is a critical emergency medicine maneuver used to turn a patient while keeping their entire spine in rigid, straight alignment. Its primary purpose is to protect the spinal cord from further neurological damage when moving individuals with suspected neck, back, or spinal injuries. Medical Indications
Healthcare professionals use this technique primarily during the “secondary survey” of emergency care:
Physical Examination: To safely roll a patient onto their side to feel each vertebra for signs of deformity, internal bleeding, or wounds.
Board Transfer: To slide a spinal board or rigid stretcher underneath a flat patient, or to safely remove them from one.
Unconscious Patients: Applied automatically to high-risk accident victims (e.g., motor vehicle crashes or long falls) who are unresponsive and cannot report pain. Team Member Roles & Execution
A standard log roll requires a minimum of four coordinated individuals working in perfect synchronization so the patient behaves like a single solid log:
Log Roll – Nursing Guidelines – The Royal Children’s Hospital
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