The most accurate and professional term for the wheeled bed found in an ambulance is the ambulance cot or patient cot. This specialized device is designed to safely transport a patient from the scene of an emergency into the ambulance and then securely into the hospital or other medical facility. Its primary function is to serve as a mobile platform that allows emergency medical services (EMS) personnel to move and treat the patient.
The Primary Names: Cot and Gurney
While the public often uses the general term “stretcher” or “gurney,” medical professionals most frequently refer to the main ambulance device as the patient cot. A basic stretcher is technically a non-wheeled apparatus, often just a canvas or similar material on a rigid frame designed for simple portage. The term gurney is a common lay term for any wheeled hospital transport device, including the ambulance cot. The ambulance cot is specifically engineered with wheels and a collapsible frame, distinguishing it as the heavy-duty, wheeled equipment certified for use inside an emergency vehicle.
Design and Loading Mechanism
Modern ambulance cots incorporate advanced mechanical systems that differentiate them from standard hospital transport beds. Many are now powered cots, utilizing electro-hydraulic or electric lift systems to raise and lower the patient without manual lifting by the crew. This power assistance helps reduce back injuries among EMS personnel and allows the cot to handle patient weights up to 700 pounds.
The cot frame includes an adjustable height mechanism, often an X-frame or H-frame, allowing it to be positioned for treatment or lowered for stability. The cot interfaces with a specialized loading system in the ambulance, such as a Power-LOAD or similar fastener system. This mechanism guides and locks the cot securely to the floor of the patient compartment, meeting dynamic crash test standards to prevent movement during a collision.
Specialized Patient Transfer Equipment
Not every patient transfer involves the main ambulance cot, and EMS crews carry several other specialized devices. The stair chair is a lightweight, wheeled chair designed to move patients up or down staircases and through confined hallways. It allows the patient to be transported in an upright, seated position when the cot cannot be maneuvered.
Another specialized tool is the scoop stretcher, which consists of two halves that clip together beneath a patient. This design minimizes movement of the patient’s spine, making it useful for suspected trauma cases where immobilization is necessary. For technical rescue scenarios or transport over rough terrain, the basket stretcher, or litter, provides a fully enclosed, rigid shell to protect the patient during lifting or hauling operations.