PATIENT TRANSPORTER - CASUAL

About the role

Hospital-wide, as a member of a Transport TEAM, provides timely individual patient transport via wheelchair or cart, primarily for designated inpatients and occasional outpatients, transporting patients for designated testing, therapy, treatment, pre or post-operative care or admission/discharge.

Responsibilities

• Introduces self to patient and explains transport plan and destination.
• States own name and describes mode of transportation being used and destination to patient.
• Retrieves patient's nurse if patient has questions regarding tests/therapy where they are being transferred to.
• Obtains permission from patient’s nurse to transport patient off floor for testing/procedure.
• Provides for appropriate mode of transportation considering the patient's condition, comfort, and any safety factors.
• Uses critical thinking skills to determine mode of transport.
• Contacts nursing staff with questions related to transport and gets a ticket-to-ride (TTR) signed by registered nurse (RN).
• Covers tasks when able.
• Anticipates problems and follows through.
• Transfers patient to/from cart, wheelchair, or other transport vehicle according to procedure and is knowledgeable and effectively operates transport equipment.
• Maintains proper body mechanics.
• Uses patient lift equipment.
• Sets assistance when necessary, i.e. carts, electronic devices, etc.
• Identifies patient prior to transport.
• Asks patient to state their name.
• Checks patient identification bracelet.
• Alerts staff when patient's bracelet is missing.
• Determines patient code status prior to transport.
• Checks Capacity Management for (LH entity)
• Reminds staff when (LH entity)
• Uses appropriate isolation techniques and complies with universal precautions.
• According to isolation posting, secures and dons appropriate protective equipment before entering patient's room.
• Removes their PPE and follows hand washing protocol before taking patient out of room.
• Ensures patient is wearing PPE, when appropriate, before taking patient out of their room.
• Stores and cleans transport equipment appropriately throughout the day.
• Reports broken equipment.
• Returns transport equipment to department when able.
• Assists in coordinating patient trips.
• OBTAINS PERMISSION FROM NURSING STAFF FOR PATIENT TRANSPORT FROM ONE ANCILLARY DEPARTMENT TO ANOTHER.
• Other duties as assigned.

  Specialty Functions

  • Communicates effectively with patient/family, visitors and other members of the healthcare team.
  • Maintains ongoing shift communication (daylight shift) with the Patient Transporter, Supervisor for patient delays, issues, problems and temporary reassignment as necessary to keep patient throughput efficient.
  • Uses chain of command in the department effectively.
  • Maintains dignity and confidentiality of all patients encountered at Independence Health, directly or indirectly.
  • Responsible to check in with and assist co-workers with lift help or transport of difficult patients or volume patient load during any down-time period.
  • Safely transports of patients within the hospital for testing, procedures, surgery, treatment or admission/discharge.
  • Operate wheelchairs for safe transport of patients within the hospital, following patient safety practices.
  • Operate transport carts for safe transport of patients within the hospital, following patient safety practices.
  • Assists patients onto transport carts or into wheelchairs for in-house transport.
  • PRACTICE INFECTION CONTROL PROCEDURES, PER POLICY FOR INFECTIOUS / ISOLATION PATIENTS.
  • Provide assistance for patients who become ill and need immediate attention (vomiting, CPR, etc.).
  • CORRELATE PROPER TRANSPORT OF THE CORRECT INPATIENT (OR OUTPATIENT) FOR ASSIGNED TESTING OR PROCEDURE, INCLUDING THE CORRECT MEDICAL RECORD, AS COORDINATED AND ASSIGNED BY THE PHYSICIAN, AND/OR ASSIGNED REGISTERED NURSE.
  • Maintain patient privacy, dignity and confidentiality throughout transports and hospital stay per policy.
  • KEEP DAILY PRODUCTIVITY / CAPACITY MANAGEMENT OF ALL TRANSPORTS AND ACTIVITY.
  • CORRELATE DELIVERY OF PATIENTS WITH RECEIVING DEPARTMENT, TECHNICIANS, SIGNING IN AT REQUIRED LOG STATIONS AND REPORTING SPECIAL NEEDS OF PATIENTS REQUIRING SPECIAL ATTENTION OF THE RECEIVING DEPARTMENT.
  • SAFELY TRANSPORTS ASSIGNED EQUIPMENT OR SPECIMENS, AS NECESSARY AND TIME ALLOWED, WITH PATIENT TRANSPORT BEING THE HOSPITAL PRIORITY.
  • ASSIST NURSING STAFF WITH SPECIMEN OR SPECIAL SITUATION EQUIPMENT TRANSPORT, AS ASSIGNED BY PATIENT TRANSPORTER, SUPERVISOR.
  • DELIVER STOCK OXYGEN TANKS OR REGULATORS TO PRE-ASSIGNED DEPARTMENTS.
  • PROVIDES IN-HOUSE DIRECTION AND CUSTOMER SERVICE SUPPORT FOR ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE.
  • AID HOSPITAL CUSTOMERS/VISITORS WITH DIRECTIONAL INFORMATION, AS APPROPRIATE THROUGHOUT THE HOSPITAL THROUGHOUT SHIFT, AS APPROPRIATE.
  • SERVES AS GREETER FOR VISITORS, PATIENTS AND EMPLOYEES ENTERING INDEPENDENCE HEALTH.
  • In addition to performing basic customer service and reception duties.
  • Screens all visitors prior to entering and logs visitors in tracking program as appropriate.
  • Greet and assist patients/visitors as they enter the main entrance of the hospital.

  Qualifications

  • Must be 18 years of age.
  • Strong leadership ability, good organizational skills, independent and critical thinking skills, sound judgment.
  • Strong ability to communicate complex and/or controversial topics and concepts to a wide and diverse audience.
  • Basic working knowledge of computers and office equipment.

  Preferred Qualifications

  • Prior experience working with patients.

  Supervisory Responsibilities

  This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities, but does serve as a coach and mentor for other positions in the department.

  Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

  Incumbent will be scheduled based on operational need (rotate shifts, standby, on-call, etc.). Travel may be expected locally between Independence Health locations.

  Physical Condition

  • Bending (Stooping): x
  • Sitting: x
  • Walking: x
  • Climbing Stairs: x
  • Climbing Ladders: x
  • Standing: x
  • Kneeling: x
  • Squatting (Crouching): x
  • Twisting/Turning: x
  • Keyboard/Computer Operation: x
  • Gross Grasp: x
  • Fine Finger Manipulation: x
  • Hand/Arm Coordination: x
  • Pushing/Pulling(lbs. of force): 20#
  • Lifting Floor to Knuckle: 10#
  • Lifting Seat Pan to Knuckle: 10#
  • Lifting Knuckle to Shoulder: 10#
  • Lifting Shoulder to Overhead: 10#
  • Carry: 5#
  • Transfer/Push/Pull Patients: x