Creative Solution
Date: July24, 2006

Whatever creativity is, it is in part a solution to a problem.

–Brian Aldiss, the British author

Floyd EMS employee Sarah Ellison is one of those individuals who saw a problem and enlisted creativity–her own and others’–to solve it.

Called to transport an infant who was having a seizure to the Floyd Medical Center Emergency Care Center, Sarah was having trouble caring for the child. Children have to be restrained for transport, yet the straps on the adult-sized stretchers that equip our ambulances are too large and in the wrong places to restrain very young children. So, Sarah had placed her young patient in an infant car seat and strapped the car seat into place–a less than ideal situation, especially for a medical professional attempting to provide care. The child was taken to the ECC without incident, but Sarah knew there had to be a better way.

It wasn’t long after that Sarah discovered “Pedimates,” adapters that allow children to be properly restrained and safely transported in ambulances while giving the medics who care for them the free access their young patients require. Sarah asked her supervisor about getting the devices for Floyd’s ambulances, but it was near the end of the budget year, and funds had not been allocated for this additional expense.

That didn’t stop this mom of three with a talent for crocheting. She spoke with co-workers Kimberly Dean, Jeannie Weatherby and Laura Roberts, and together they developed a plan to raise the necessary money to purchase Pedimates for Floyd’s ambulances. They took a two-pronged approach: The group approached Floyd’s SPIRIT Committee about a grant, but not wanting to leave anything to chance, they also worked with Floyd’s Public Relations Department to set up an auction. Sarah, Jeannie and Laura crocheted blankets and sewed pillows. Kimberly took on the task of coordinating the auction.

The auction was a success, raising over $300, and, the SPIRIT grant application was awarded $500–enough money combined to equip each of Floyd’s five front-line ambulances with Pedimates.

“It was simply the fact that you can’t transport a child without them being strapped in,” Sarah said. “Putting them in their car seats limits access to them, and if they are in a bad situation, you need access to them.”

Now, when a child has to be transported by ambulance, Floyd’s EMS is better prepared than ever before, thanks to the initiative, creativity and heart of a medical professional, artist and mom.

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