Patient Transporter

Advocate Health • Libertyville, IL

7d • $19 - $28 • Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Transporter provides safe, efficient patient transportation throughout the hospital and campus while maintaining a safe environment for patients, coworkers, and themselves. The role includes preparing patients for transport, accompanying them throughout the trip, handing them off appropriately, and communicating with dispatchers, nurses, and other hospital personnel. Transporters also assist patients and guests with questions or service issues and provide courteous, age-appropriate support and comfort measures.

The position requires safe operation and upkeep of wheelchairs, beds, carts, and other departmental equipment; adherence to infection-control, oxygen-use, patient-identification, confidentiality, and documentation procedures; and the ability to assist with patient transfers. Work assignments are completed according to established time guidelines and workload demands. The role involves continuous walking, patient contact, and possible exposure to infectious or otherwise unpleasant conditions.

Requirements

• High school education or equivalent experience.
• Good communication and customer-service skills.
• Ability to read, write, and speak English.
• Basic math skills.
• Ability to anticipate patient, employee, and unit needs and refer issues for appropriate action.
• Flexibility, versatility, reliability, teamwork, and good judgment.
• CPR certification must be obtained within the first 90 days after new-hire orientation.
• Ability to work the hours of 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., including rotating weekends and holidays.
• Ability to work weekends, holidays, and different shifts to accommodate staffing needs.
• Ability to perform patient lifting and transfer activities using safe body mechanics and to maneuver departmental equipment.
• Ability to perform very heavy lifting as described in the posting: up to 100 pounds occasionally, over 50 pounds frequently, and over 20 pounds constantly; for direct patient care, lift up to 35 pounds without assistance and use patient-handling equipment with at least one other associate when available for heavier or unassisted patient lifts.
• Ability to perform continuous walking throughout the shift, as well as pushing, pulling, stooping, bending, and twisting.
• Ability to assist in patient evacuation during a fire or other disaster.
• Ability to work in an environment with potential exposure to infectious specimens and patients and adverse, hazardous, or unpleasant conditions.

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience with patients across various age groups.

Responsibilities

• Provide and maintain a safe environment by following established policies and procedures.
• Receive and confirm the Ticket to Ride document before transport, including required caregiver and transporter signatures and information.
• Attend department, hospital, and Advocate education sessions and meetings.
• Apply knowledge of pediatric and geriatric cognitive and sensory needs when providing instructions and explanations.
• Contact telemetry at the beginning and completion of applicable patient moves.
• Be prepared to perform CPR if needed and follow bloodborne pathogen, infection-control, universal-precaution, handwashing, PPE, and dress-code policies.
• Use proper body mechanics and lifting techniques, gait belts when required, and transfer assistance as needed.
• Clean soiled equipment after use and perform more thorough cleaning as needed.
• Use two patient identifiers and report safety hazards to management.
• Prepare patients for transport while waiting for nursing assistance and complete transports properly and efficiently.
• Report delays and canceled tests to dispatch and appropriate hospital personnel.
• Complete assignments within established time guidelines and use available resources to maintain efficient operations.
• Maintain communication with dispatchers and respond to instructions or assignments using alpha-numeric pagers.
• Assist coworkers with patient lifting and other tasks needed for safe, efficient transport.
• Follow hospital oxygen-use guidelines and communicate schedule changes to dispatch and ancillary departments to avoid unnecessary trips.
• Communicate concerns about a patient's condition to the nurse.
• Greet patients and guests courteously, knock before entering, introduce oneself, explain the destination, and ask about assistance or comfort needs.
• Provide directions or escort patients and guests as appropriate, refer them to appropriate personnel, and maintain a friendly, professional demeanor.
• Accompany patients throughout transport and complete an appropriate handoff.
• Identify broken equipment, remove it from circulation, label it for repair, and notify management of equipment-related safety issues.
• Clean, use, and maintain equipment properly; complete training and demonstrate safe operation of wheelchairs, beds, and carts.
• Use communication tools appropriately to update dispatchers and healthcare providers.
• Document work accurately, including signing patients in and out of units, completing blood moves per guidelines, and submitting ED-radiology transport documents when required.
• Adhere to schedules, breaks, and lunch periods and complete incident reports for patient or personal injuries.
• Protect patient privacy, follow confidentiality policies, refrain from sharing confidential information, restrict access to charts as required, and check for DNR restrictions.
• Assist with patient evacuation during fires or other disasters.

Benefits

• Paid Time Off programs.
• Medical, dental, vision, life, and short- and long-term disability benefits.
• Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses.
• Adoption assistance and paid parental leave.
• Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs.
• Educational Assistance Program.
• Premium pay may be available for shift, on-call, and other applicable work; incentive pay for select positions; and potential annual performance-based increases.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED