Untitled Document

Helmet Removal

Orignated 1-25-2010

Designation of Condition
A patient with a suspected spinal injury based upon a physical assessment and/or mechanism of injury, who is wearing a helmet.
Football Helmets: Indications for football helmet removal.

When a patient is wearing a helmet and not the shoulder pads.
In the presence of head and or facial trauma.
Patients requiring advanced airway management when removal of the facemask is not sufficient.
When the helmet is loose on the patient’s head.
In the presence of cardiopulmonary arrest. (The shoulder pads must also be removed.) When the helmet and shoulder pads are both on, the spine is kept in neutral alignment.

Note: If the patient is wearing only the helmet or the shoulder pads, neutral alignment must be maintained. Either remove the other piece of equipment or pad under the missing piece.

All Other Helmets: Due to the absence of offsetting padding as in football shoulder pads, all other helmets must be removed in order to maintain spinal alignment. These include but are not limited to motorcycle helmets, bicycle helmets, rollerblading helmets and skiing helmets.