Advice for heavy wheel chair in the snow/ice

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Hello,

I am a relatively new nurse, completely new to PDN. Kinda of weird question, but I had a difficult time with my patients wheel chair today:

I have a teenage patient who has a large wheel chair that is quite heavy. I weigh 105lbs so it often takes all of my strength to push the chair up the patients drive way (on a hill) and up the ramp to the house. Today I arrived and the driveway and ramp were covered in ice. The school bus dropped him off, offered me the advice of pulling him up backwards (the little wheels in front we're getting stuck instantly) and drove away. I made it about two feet and couldn't go any further I didn't have the strength to pull him up backwards, I normally need all my body weight to do the pushing and to catch the chair if it starts rolling back, but that wasn't an option here. Every time I tried to change my footing I slipped on ice. I was terrified and had no idea what to do! Thank god a car pulled over and two people got out to help! I live in an area where snow and ice are common. It snowed about three days ago so there was enough time where I thought it would have been shoveled. Is it rude for me to ask the family to keep the area shoveled and salted? Should I be shoveling a path for the wheel chair, is that part of my job? Or are there any tips for getting a wheel chair through snow and over ice? This poor patient and I almost slid right into the busy street and I don't want to be in that situation again :/

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Make the suggestion to your clinical supervisor so the agency can make the request. It is reasonable. If not complied with, ask for a different case.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

Your agency should intervene. My agency requires families to have safe passage into and out of home whether it's a clutter free pathway or shoveling snow or clearing ice.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

No, that is absolutely not rude. We're expected to forego certain occupational standards if we're the only caregiver with the client, but risking injury to ourselves and our patient isn't one of them. I can imagine it would be difficult to safely transfer the combined weight of teenager + chair on icy driveway.

Usually the para-transit drivers would help us wrangle the heavy wheelchair, but not sure it applies to the school bus drivers.

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Specializes in Home Health, PDN, LTC, subacute.

Mom shovels ramp and we use kitty litter for traction. Works well for us and doesn't hurt carpet

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