EVALUATING MEDICAL EQUIPMENT FROM THE OUTSIDE-IN AND FROM THE INSIDE-OUT: RESCUE STRETCHERS

Ergonomic evaluations of medical equipment may require that the needs of two groups of “users” be taken into account-the medical or paramedical staff using the equipment to treat patients and the patients themselves. The issues pertaining to these “users” will differ. Ease of use and clinical effectiveness may not always be compatible. This paper presents the results of two evaluations of rescue stretchers that were carried out to identify a suitable replacement for the Neil Robertson Stretcher (NRS), which has been used by the Royal Navy for almost 100 years.